Snowy Owls
There is no group of birds more mysterious and fascinating than owls. The loudmouths of the raptor world, they peep, trill, toot, bark, growl, shriek, whistle chittle, whoop, chuckle, boom and buzz. Indeed, very few actually “hoot”. They have become the stuff of lore and legend – from the Roman myth that an owl foot could reveal secrets to the First Nations belief that owl feather could give a newborn better night vision. But the truth about owls is much more exciting.
These large owls breed on the Arctic tundra, where females lay a clutch of 3 to 11 eggs. Clutch size depends upon the availability of food, and in particularly lean times a usually monogamous pair of owls may not breed at all. Parents are territorial and will defend their nests against all comers—even wolves.
Young owls, especially males, get whiter as they get older. Females are darker than males, with dusky spotting, and never become totally white. Some elderly males do become completely white, though many retain small flecks of dusky plumage.
The snowy owl is a patient hunter that perches and waits to identify its prey before soaring off in pursuit. Snowy owls have keen eyesight and great hearing, which can help them find prey that is invisible under thick vegetation or snow covered. The owls deftly snatch their quarry with their sharp talons.
A snowy owl's preferred meal is lemmings—many lemmings. An adult may eat more than
1,600 lemmings a year or three to five every day. The birds supplement their diet with rabbits, rodents, birds, and fish.
These magnificent owls sometimes remain year-round in their northern breeding grounds, but they are frequent migrants to Canada, the northern United States, Europe, and Asia.
Lemming availability may determine the extent of southern migration, when owls take up summer residence on open fields, marshes, and beaches.
If you are interested in learning their behavior and photographing these amazing creatures, join us for the next snowy owl workshop http://www.incredibletravelphotos.com/workshop/wsA/snowy/)
Read MoreThese large owls breed on the Arctic tundra, where females lay a clutch of 3 to 11 eggs. Clutch size depends upon the availability of food, and in particularly lean times a usually monogamous pair of owls may not breed at all. Parents are territorial and will defend their nests against all comers—even wolves.
Young owls, especially males, get whiter as they get older. Females are darker than males, with dusky spotting, and never become totally white. Some elderly males do become completely white, though many retain small flecks of dusky plumage.
The snowy owl is a patient hunter that perches and waits to identify its prey before soaring off in pursuit. Snowy owls have keen eyesight and great hearing, which can help them find prey that is invisible under thick vegetation or snow covered. The owls deftly snatch their quarry with their sharp talons.
A snowy owl's preferred meal is lemmings—many lemmings. An adult may eat more than
1,600 lemmings a year or three to five every day. The birds supplement their diet with rabbits, rodents, birds, and fish.
These magnificent owls sometimes remain year-round in their northern breeding grounds, but they are frequent migrants to Canada, the northern United States, Europe, and Asia.
Lemming availability may determine the extent of southern migration, when owls take up summer residence on open fields, marshes, and beaches.
If you are interested in learning their behavior and photographing these amazing creatures, join us for the next snowy owl workshop http://www.incredibletravelphotos.com/workshop/wsA/snowy/)
