Snowy Owl Facts

Well, I don’t know if a snowy owl would actually be able to carry a Nimbus 2000, but Hedwig certainly did so for our very own Harry Potter! She was the best snowy owl any wizard could probably have, a little moody at times; she always remained faithful and loyal to Harry Potter even during his troubled times. Reading about Hedwig may make us feel the need to own a snowy owl at some point or the other, but I personally feel they are best left in the wild! After all, not all snowy owl’s are like Hedwig and do not mind being cooped up in a cage all day long.

Facts about Snowy Owls:
Scientifically known as the Bubo scandiacus, the snowy owl is also known as the Arctic Owl or the Great White Owl. These are the heaviest of owls in North America and breed on the Arctic tundra. These beautiful snowy owls are found in Greenland, Iceland, Canada and the Northern parts of USA. This large bird has a rounded head with yellow eyes and a black bill. The overall plumage is speckled with thin and horizontal bars or spots. The male snowy owl’s plumage is almost purely white where as the adult females have around four to six tail bands. These owls are around 53-65 cms in length and have a wingspan of around 125-150 cms. The young snowy owls are uniformly brown. They also have scattered tips of white.

The snowy owl does perch in trees but is known to live in hollowed out holes. This bird very rarely travels into the forest areas. They mainly are spotted in open grasslands, along lakeshores, marshes and marine coastlines. Many snowy owls migrate to the Great Plains of Canada around November and leave this area around March.

Amongst the important snowy owl facts, one would be that they are diurnal. This would simple mean unlike other owls; the snowy owls are active and hunt during the nighttime as well as the daytime. They are known to have a strong and steady flight with very powerful strokes. This species nests on the ground by building a scrape on top of a boulder. They also make short flights, which are close to the ground in the hunt for food.

The voice of the snowy owls varies. During the non-breeding season, they are relatively silent. The male snowy owl has a typical call, which is very harsh and sounds like a bark. The female snowy owl has a higher pitched call. When it time for the mating season, the male snowy owls have a loud and booming sound. These are also known to clap their beaks when annoyed. Young ones are known to ‘cheep’ for at least the first 2 weeks.

The diet of the snowy owl consists of lemmings and rodents. These owls are known to sit and wait for their prey. They can capture the prey on the ground, in the air or they are known to grab them even on the surface of the water bodies. Snowy owls use their beaks or their talons to weaken the prey.

Their courtship behavior generally begins in midwinter till March or April. The female snowy owls are visible on the ground while the males are known to fly in an undulating manner. The behavior of the male on the ground is showy. He bows, fluffs up his feathers and is know to strut around by dragging his wings to impress the females! If this is not enough, the males also kill and display their preys to the females.

The nest sites of the snowy owl are always near good hunting sites. They are also relatively free from snow. Sometimes, a pair of owls may nest in the same spot for several years. The female snowy owl incubates her eggs while the male hunts for the food and also guards the nest.

Snowy owls face threat due to human activities that are causing the loss of natural habitats for these beautiful birds. Well, if only everybody would love these majestic birds like Harry Potter.