Amazing Facts About Snowy Owls

Amazing Facts About Snowy Owls

Female

There also known as a Artic owl and the Great  Big owl.

1. The Snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) has had its share of publicity over the past few years due to its role in the Harry Potter books and movies. But while correctly portrayed as strong and heroic, these magnificent raptors’ natural habitat is far removed from Hogwarts. 

2. Unlike many other owls, the snowy owl is not nocturnal. With almost constant daylight during their breeding and nesting periods in the Arctic, many believe the owls have adapted to their environment.

3. These beautiful birds have white and dark brown feathers covering their bodies that supply them with camouflage in their usually snowy habitat. Males can be pure white, however females always have some brown feathers. Since snowy owls are found in colder climates, they have a thick layer of down underneath their many layers of feathers to keep themselves warm in even the most frigid temperatures.

4. Owls’ eyes do not move in their sockets. to look to the side or to follow a moving object, the bird must swivel its head. the eyes contain many more light-gathering cells than human eyes do, and they can detect small objects moving at great distances

5. The snowy owl is well equipped for hunting and can see further distances than humans. Also, their eyes have circles of feathers around them that help reflect sound to their ears. These birds are great judges of distance which helps them to swoop down and catch their prey, such as lemmings and foxes, with their 25 to 35 mm long black claws.

6. In a blizzard a snowy owl  will fly facing towards the wind .The wind will press against it’s feathers and keep in the heat.

Male

7. The diet of Snowy Owls consists mainly of lemmings. They are known to sit and wait for their prey and spend most of their time perched still and silent on prominent lookouts.

8. Lemming populations are cyclic and in years when lemming populations are down Snowy Owls often leave the arctic regions and fly south in search of food. Because of this, about once every four years Snowy Owls are found as far south as the northern and central United States.

9. The feathers of Snowy Owls have no pigment, leaving more space for air which helps them to keep warmer because air is such a good insulator. 

10. Their legs and toes are heavily feathered to protect them from the harsh weather in cold arctic regions.

11. Snowy Owls often hang out at airports, perhaps because the wide open spaces remind them of the tundra.

12. Although Snowy Owls have few predators, they still have to be watchful of arctic foxes, wolves and other animals during the nesting season. Males defend the nest by standing guard nearby while the female incubates the eggs and broods the young. When a predator approaches both parents will dive-bomb (even wolves!) and try to distract them away from the nest. 

13. The Snowy Owl is also known as the Arctic Owl or Great White Owl. A group of owls has many different names, including a bazaar, glaring, parliament, stooping and a wisdom of owls.

14. The breeding range of the Snowy Owl is circumpolar, ranging across the northern regions of Greenland, Scandinavia, Russia, Alaskia and Canada.

15. The Snowy owl is a ’still-hunter’, sitting motionless at a suitable vantage point until it spots its prey then accelerating rapidly in for the kill. They hunt equally as well day and night, using their incredible eyesight and hearing. They will also attack weasels, other birds. 

16. It is thought that when food is scarce, the adult Snowy owl can live off its fat reserve for up to six weeks. 

17. Snowy Owls’ light coloration provides camouflage when the owls are perched on snow, but this advantage is lost in summer. As spring approaches and the ground becomes bare, snowy Owls move to sit on patches of snow or ice. No one knows whether they do this to camouflage themselves or whether they are merely keeping insects away or staying cool.

18. The powerful feet are equipped with curved, black claws (25 to 35 millimetres long) and can quickly subdue even the largest prey.

19. In 1987, the snowy Owl was named the official bird of Quebec.

20. Snowy owls chose a breeding partner and usually stay with that owl for the rest of their lives. Breeding takes place from about February to March and during courtship, the male snowy owl often kills a prey, usually a lemming, and holds it in his mouth to attract females.

21. A female can typically lay between three to 11 eggs, called a clutch. 

22. These birds are usually shy, but become very protective with their young often shrieking and diving at potential predators. 

23. These owls prefer a snowy habitat where they can disguise their white bodies. They tend to live in tree tops and build their nests in the brush of high areas in the arctic tundra.

24. Snowy owls can live in the Arctic regions of North America and Eurasia year-round. However, some only stay during breeding and nesting season and then migrate as far as southern states, like Georgia, in the United States. Some snowy owls also cross the Atlantic Ocean migrating between Russia and Canada.

25. Snowy owls have bright yellow eyes.

26. In Romanian folklore it is said that if a sinner dies repentant, his soul will fly to heaven as a Snowy owl.

27. Unlike many others of their species, Snowy owls do not mate for life.

28. Chinese people call the Snowy owl ’bai ye maozi’ (white night cat).

29. Due to the physiology of its wings, the Snowy owl flies silently. 

30. The Snowy owl has strong stomach acid which digests its prey whole. 

31. Anything indigestible such as hair or feathers is separated into a pellet and spat out.

32. This bird must capture the equivalent of four to six rodents per day to meet its food requirements.

33. The most common danger to the snowy owl is starvation. In the northern regions the older owl will have fewer enemies.The most danger to the snowy owl is man.In the northern regions of Canada and in Scotland the snowy owl is protected by law.