# Snowy Owl (*Bubo scandiacus*) The Snowy Owl is a beautiful white bird that loves cold places! It has big yellow eyes and can be very quiet when hunting for food. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Tundra and open fields - **Also known as:** Arctic Owl ![Snowy Owl](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424416/objects/4602.jpg) ## Appearance The Snowy Owl is a large, majestic white owl with bright yellow eyes and a round head. Males are almost pure white, while females and young owls have varying degrees of dark barring. Its dense plumage sets it apart from other owls. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Strigiformes - **Family:** Strigidae - **Genus:** Bubo ## Interesting facts - A female Snowy Owl can lay up to 16 eggs if food is super abundant! - During "irruptions," many snowy owls fly south for winter when lemming populations crash. - Snowy owls are one of the few owl species that hunt mostly during the day! - Unlike most owls, they often perch on the ground or low rocks instead of trees. ## Special abilities - **Arctic Armor:** Snowy Owl has incredibly dense feathers, even on its feet, that help them stay warm in freezing polar temperatures. - **Silent Hunter:** Snowy Owl can fly almost silently thanks to special fringed feathers that help them sneak up on unsuspecting prey. - **Super Hearing:** Snowy Owl has asymmetrical ear openings that help them pinpoint prey by sound, even under thick snow! - **Head Swivel:** Snowy Owl can rotate its head almost 270 degrees to spot prey without moving its body. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 53-65 cm - **Wingspan:** 130-150 cm - **Weight:** 1.6-3 kg - **Lifespan:** 9-10 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-11 - **Incubation:** 32-33 days - **Migration Distance:** 2500 km ## Diet & Feeding These Arctic hunters mostly eat small furry animals like lemmings and voles, but they will also catch birds. - **Primary Foods:** Lemmus trimucronatus, Microtus pennsylvanicus, Lagopus lagopus, Lepus arcticus - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Brown Lemming (*Lemmus trimucronatus*) — Primary food source, especially in the Arctic tundra. - **Hunts:** Meadow Vole (*Microtus pennsylvanicus*) — Common prey in open grasslands during winter migration. - **Hunts:** Willow Ptarmigan (*Lagopus lagopus*) — A key avian prey species in their northern range. - **Eaten by:** [Arctic Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/arctic-fox) (*Vulpes lagopus*) — Known to predate on eggs and owlets in their nests. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Tundra](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/tundra): This habitat trait refers to species inhabiting tundras, which are treeless biomes characterized by permafrost, cold temperatures, and low-growing vegetation. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Snowy Owl? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Snowy Owl? 53-65 cm ### What is Snowy Owl's wingspan? 130-150 cm ### How much does Snowy Owl weigh? 1.6-3 kg ### How long does Snowy Owl live? 9-10 years ### How fast can Snowy Owl move? 50 km/h ### What does Snowy Owl eat? These Arctic hunters mostly eat small furry animals like lemmings and voles, but they will also catch birds. ### Where is Snowy Owl usually found? Tundra and open fields ## Where to spot - [ZooAmerica](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zooamerica) — Pennsylvania, US · Zoo - [Big Bear Alpine Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/big-bear-alpine-zoo) — California, US · Zoo - [Ranuan Eläinpuisto](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ranuan-el-inpuisto) — Lapland, FI · Zoo - [Zoo am Meer](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoo-am-meer) — Bremen, DE · Zoo - [Bergzoo Halle (Zoologischer Garten Halle)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bergzoo-halle) — Sachsen-Anhalt, DE · Zoo - [Cascades Raptor Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cascades-raptor-center) — Oregon, US · Zoo [View all places to see Snowy Owl](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/snowy-owl) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Snowy Owl: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/snowy-owl)