Snowy Owl Facts, Photos, Slideshow - Bubo scandiacus - Defenders of Wildlife
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Snowy owls are mostly white with narrow, sparse brown bars and spots. Their golden colored eyes are rather small for an owl and their toes and claws are thickly covered with feathers. Their dark colored bills are short and strong and sharply pointed. They are among the largest North American owl species.
Fast Facts
Height: Up to 27 inches.
Length: 20-27 inches (wingspan of 4.5-5.5 feet).
Weight: 40-70 ounces; males smaller than females.
Lifespan: The oldest snowy owl living in the wild was recorded to be 9 years and 5 months. A captive snowy owl lived for at least 28 years.
Diet
Snowy owls mainly eat mammals, ranging from small rodents to large hares. They are also known to eat birds ranging in size from small songbirds to medium-sized geese and lemmings. An adult owl may eat around 3 to 5 lemmings each day (1600 per year).
Population
Did You Know?
Snowy owls swallow their prey, such as lemmings, whole!
Their local numbers are high when the lemming population they prey on is high and lower when the lemming population is low.
Range
In North America, snowy owls are found during the breeding season from the western Aleutians in Alaska to northeastern Manitoba (Churchill), northern Quebec and northern Labrador in Canada. In the winter, they can regularly be found in the northern United States. Sporadically they can be found as far south as central California as well as in Texas and Florida. See a snowy owl range map >>
Behavior
Unlike most other owl species, snowy owls hunt mainly in the daytime. Snowy owls are highly nomadic and their movements are tied to the abundance of their primary prey species, lemmings. They are known to aggressively defend their nests and will attack those that disturb their nests.
Did You Know?
The snowy owl is also known as the Arctic owl or the Great White owl.
Reproduction
Mating season: May.
Gestation: About 32 days for egg incubation.
Clutch size: Varies depending on availability of food; 3-5 eggs during times of limited food availability and 7-11 when food is plentiful.
Only females incubate the eggs. The male provides the female and young with food. The young owls begin to leave the nest around 25-26 days after hatching. They are not able to fly well until at least 50 days of age. They continue to be fed by the parents for another 5 weeks after they leave the nest.
Global Warming and Other Threats
As its name might suggest, snowy owls may face threats from global warming, linked to changing temperatures that affect both their habitat and prey.
Other threats to snowy owls include collisions with automobiles, utility lines and other objects and gunshot wounds. Recent reports indicate these birds are being illegally killed for their eyes and feet, which are traded in Asian markets.
Legal Status/Protection
Did You Know?
The snowy owl is the official bird of Quebec, Canada.
- CITES: Snowy owls are listed under Appendix II.
- Snowy owls are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, however, Alaska law allows Alaska residents to shoot unlimited numbers of owls if they are used for food or clothing. No bird or part of a bird may be sold or offered for sale.
- Learn more about legal status and protection of snowy owls >>
How You Can Help
- Help Snowy Owls and other wildlife by adopting a snowy owl today at our Wildlife Adoption Center.
- Take Action for Wildlife at our Wildlife Action Center.
