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In this article we will share some interesting facts about the snowy owl. This will include looking at their habitat, identification, size, lifespan, diet, voice, breeding and conservation status.
When you see a picture of a snowy owl, you immediately understand where they get their name from. Some other names they are known as throughout the world are; Bubo Scandiacus (scientific name), ghost owl, great white owl,The Polar owl or the Scandinavian night bird.
Habitat
The Snowy Owl is a bird of Arctic regions. During the winter months they generally live in northern Eurasia and Canada. They have been seen in Northern Britain, but only in exceptionally cold winters. As climate change affects their food sources, it’s likely their habitat will change too and we will see more of these arctic owls living in areas they would not have used before.
Identification
The snowy owl is large and mainly white with dark speckles. The female is more salt and pepper looking as seen in the above image. The male shown in the image below however tends to become whiter as he ages. Their plumage is long and dense and it covers their toes and some of their beak to protect from temperatures as low as -40. Their beak is short downward facing, hook-like to assist in tearing of prey. Talons are used to capture prey, hold and assist in tearing the prey into an edible size. They have bright yellow eyes which are stunning even to a non birder. According to experts the eye colour of owls indicates the time of day they hunt. Yellow eyes like the snowy owl are indicative of day time hunters. Brown / black eyes are mainly owls who are nocturnal hunters. The eye colour helps with camouflage. Finally, orange eyes such as those of the Eurasian eagle owl, are owls who hunt during dawn and dusk.
Size
Their size varies from 53cms – 71cms. The wingspan is around 4 to 5ft, powerful and silent. They can weigh anywhere between 1134-2000g. Females are usually slightly larger.
Lifespan
A Snowy owl will roughly live 9 to 10 years in the wild. Although they have been known to live much longer in captivity, 28 – 35 years.
Diet
Snowy owls’ diet consists of Arctic hares, lemmings, seabirds, ducks, mice. Most of the smaller prey is swallowed whole. All indigestible elements will be regurgitated up by means of a pellet some hours later. Larger prey will be torn into smaller pieces and eaten. Most owls are nocturnal hunters, however with Snowy owl, because of the regions it lives in, the Arctic summers force the owl to hunt by daylight, making this owl a hunter of the day and night. They can hunt using low posts or on the rises of the tundra, which they also roost on.
Food store
Scientists have recorded that Snowy owls have had 83 carcassess in their store. However it’s generally thought 10-15 items would be a fair cache. This is protection for the harsh environment they breed in.
Voice
During non-breeding times the owl can be silent. However in the breeding season the males have strong low raspy hoots. They both can hoot, hiss and whistle and their calls are usually either a display call for a mate or a territorial, defensive or agitated call.
Breeding
Usually snowy owls are monogamous. However during a plentiful year two females may share a male. They would probably return to the breeding grounds between April and May, although there are variations.
Nesting on the ground, high up if possible as with this area the snow melts quicker. The females usually just dig and remove the soil with their claws to make a shape of a bowl, as shown in the picture below. She would then add feathers. This process can take a few days, although it has been observed that on occasion they will reuse a nest from a previous year if it is in good repair.
Eggs
Produced mid May to early June. The amount of eggs all depends on the availability of food sources. In years of abundance they can have up to a dozen eggs, but usually it would be between 4-8 eggs. The eggs are white to creamy white in colour and are laid in 2 to 4 day intervals, incubation being 32-34 days before hatching. Although they would leave the nest on around day 25 they will still be fed and supported by their parents until fully fledged at around 55-60 days. The owls will only have one brood per year due to the conditions they live in.
After Breeding
Following fledging of the owlets the parents birds may migrate from their summer breeding grounds. However if there are sufficient food sources they have been known to stay in the Arctic. As long as they have access to a good food supply they can endure even the harshest of Arctic winters.
Conservation status
The conservation Status for the snowy owl as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature has changed in recent years. 2004-2016 they were shown as least concern. However from 2017-2021 they have been on the red list as vulnerable. (IUCN, 2021). In 2013 estimated numbers were 200,000 now the estimated number of mature individuals is between 14,000 – 28,000. The reasons thought for the decline is due partly to climate change which affects the availability of their prey.
There is no doubt that these birds are marvellous animals. However there seems to be real concern over the downturn in their population over that last couple of years. There are a number of charities trying to help through education and habitat conservation, and raising funds for research (PeragrinFund 2022)(project snowstorm 2022). Hopefully they will be able to make a difference to the snowy owl population.
To Sum up
I hope you have found the facts in this article interesting. You should now have an idea of the snowy owls habitat, how to identify it. Its size and lifespan, diet, voice, breeding and conservation.
We all need to be aware of our own contribution to climate change and how we affect the natural world. If we as individuals can reduce some use of something which adds to the issue then it can only be a positive for all.
https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22689055/205475036
https://www.peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/owls/snowy-owl