Wednesday 10 August 2011

Snowy Owl

snowy owl

Scientifically known as the Bubo scandiacus, the snowy owl is often referred to as the Arctic Owl or the Great White Owl. These are the fleshy of owls in North America and multiply on the Arctic tundra. These divine snowy owls can be 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 high bar or spots. The male snowy owls plumage is practically purely white where as the adult female have approx four to six tail circles. These owls are about 53-65 cms in length and have a wingspread of around 125-150 cms. The young snowy owls are smoothly brown. They also have dispersed tips of white.

The snowy owl does perch in trees but is known to live in hollowed out holes. This bird very seldom journeys into the forest regions. They principally are spotted in open grasslands, along lakesides, marshlands and marine coastlines. Many snowy owls migrate to the Great Plains of Canada around November and leave this area around March.

The voice of the snowy owls diverges. During the non-breeding season, they are comparatively silent. The male snowy owl has a typical call, which is very rough and sounds like a bark. The female snowy owl has a eminent pitched call. When it time for the pairing season, the male snowy owls have a loud and roaring sound. These are also known to clap their beaks when irritated. Young ones are known to chirp for at least the first 2 weeks.

The diet of the snowy owl comprises of lemmings and rodents. These owls are known to sit and hold back for their prey. They can catch the prey on ground, in the air or they are known to grab them even on top of the water bodies. Snowy owls use their beaks or their talons to sabotage the prey.

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