Let's Talk About Birds: Snowy owl
-
An adult snowy owl is virtually pure white.
Share with others:
One of the most beautiful birds in the owl family is the snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus). Also known in North America as the Arctic owl, great white owl or harfang, this stunning bird of prey is one of the largest species of owls, weighing in at 3.5-6.6 pounds and boasting a wingspan of 49-59 inches.
Snowy owls are named for their thick white plumage, which extends down to their taloned feet. This feathering provides both warmth and camouflage, making them particularly well adapted for survival in cold blasts of an Arctic winter.
While both male and female snowy owls are predominantly white, their markings vary significantly. The adult male is virtually pure white, but females and young birds have dark barring, spots and scalloping on their wings. In fact, in the Harry Potter films, Harry's owl Hedwig is played by both a male and female bird. You can tell the difference if you look closely at their feathers.
Snowy owls are diurnal, which means unlike most species of owls, they hunt and are active in the daytime and, due to extended Arctic darkness in winter, can hunt equally well at night. In the wild, snowy owls will prey on rabbits, birds and fish, but their main food source is the lemming. Lemmings are small vole-like rodents that in most years are plentiful in the snowy qwl's Arctic hunting range. Despite the harsh climate, lemmings do not hibernate, giving the snowy owl a steady food source even in the winter months. Snowy owls help to keep lemming populations in check -- an adult snowy owl can eat 1,600 lemmings in a single year. In years when there are fewer lemmings in winter, young snowy owls spread southward looking for food. In 2009, a young wild snowy owl was seen just three blocks from the National Aviary sitting on a rooftop, scanning for a small tidbit like a squirrel or rabbit.
Like many other birds, snowy owls often swallow their food whole (in the case of lemmings, it's head first, tail last). Their strong digestive systems process their food, separating out bones, teeth, bits of fur and feathers that are later regurgitated up in the form of a pellet. If you have the chance to dissect an owl pellet, you will likely be able to figure out what it ate.
Snowy owls are monogamous, remaining with the same mate as long as that mate is alive. They breed on the Arctic tundra and nest on the ground, where they build a "scrape" on top of a mound or hillock. Females will lay three to five eggs in the nest, but up to 11 eggs have been reported when food is plentiful. If food is scarce, however, the pair may not breed at all.
The National Aviary recently acquired one of these magnificent birds. Fleury, a year-old male snowy owl named after Marc-Andre Fleury of the Pittsburgh Penguins, will make his first public appearance Thanksgiving weekend when he joins the cast of the free-flight bird show "Wings!" Visit the National Aviary beginning Nov. 25 to see this remarkable species of owl in flight.
First Published November 16, 2011 12:00 am
