Wildlife
The near perfect camouflage of the snowy owl's striking white plumage against the Arctic's snowy tundra reveals only a glimpse of golden-yellow eyes. These large, powerful owls are so fond of their meal of choice - lemmings - they follow the population around, and may even miss a breeding season when the supply is scarce. Known too as the white terror of the north, the snowy owl uses versatile hunting techniques to hunt by day and pick off prey from land, sea and air. Very occasionally snowy owls might venture as far as the Shetland Isles, one of the coldest places in the UK.
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Aerial acrobatics
The owlets have left the nest but still depend on their parents for food and protection.
The owlets have left the nest but still depend on their parents for food and protection.
Lemming lunch
Fast-breeding lemmings are perfect prey for Arctic predators such as snowy owls.
Fast-breeding lemmings are perfect prey for Arctic predators such as snowy owls.
Egg warmer
In frozen Alaska, snowy owls transfer heat to their eggs via a brood patch.
In frozen Alaska, snowy owls transfer heat to their eggs via a brood patch.
Rodent bones
Fossilised 'owl sick' tells us what the climate was like in ancient times.
Fossilised 'owl sick' tells us what the climate was like in ancient times.
The following habitats are found across the Snowy owl distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
The Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) is a large owl of the typical owl family Strigidae. The Snowy Owl was first classified in 1758 by Carolus Linnaeus, the Swedish naturalist who developed binomial nomenclature to classify and organize plants and animals. Until recently, it was regarded as the sole member of a distinct genus, as Nyctea scandiaca, but mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data (Olsen et al. 2002) shows that it is very closely related to the horned owls in the genus Bubo. The Snowy Owl is the official bird of the Canadian province of Quebec.
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Coastal
Marsh
Moorland
Tundra
Paternal care
Helpless young
Camouflage
Carnivorous
Adapted to flying
Acoustic communication
Maternal care
Monogamous
Nomadic
Egg layer
Predator
Cold tolerant
Territorial