Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus)

Family
Strigidae (Typical Owls)

Size
53 - 70 cm
Wingspan: 154 cm

First Described (Guide)
(Linnaeus, 1758)

Habitat
Arctic Tundra, from sea level into uplands. Wandering to taiga and temperate regions in winter, favoring forest edges, coastal grasslands or alpine regions.

Range (Guide)

Canada (NB), China (mainland), Faroe Islands, Finland (B) (NB), Greenland (B) (NB), Iceland (B) (NB), Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia (NB), Norway (B), Russia (Asian) (B), Russia (Central Asian) (B) (NB), Russia (European) (B) (NB), St Pierre and Miquelon (NB) (P), Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (B), Sweden (B) (NB), United Kingdom (NB), USA (B).

Vagrant to Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska), Czech Republic (NB), Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Iran [Islamic Republic of], Ireland, Kyrgyzstan, Luxembourg, Mongolia, Montenegro, Netherlands Antilles, North Korea, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia (Slovak Republic) (NB), South Korea, Turkmenistan, Ukraine (NB).

Widespread in Northern Holarctic, across Russian Arctic. In winters moves southward as far as Korea, northern Hokkaido, Japan and north-eastern China.

Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.

Population
Estimated population is 300,000 (2010).

Status VU
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Habits
Diurnal.

Food
Small mammals and birds. Often exclusively lemmings.

Voice
Loud, booming double hoot and bark in alarm. Usually silent outside the breeding season.

Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (22)...)

Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) [XC674463]
by Peter Stronach from Beinn MacDuibh, Am Mhonaidh Ruadh, Scotland, United Kingdom (?)

Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) [XC277680]
by Patrik \u00c5berg from Norrbottens l\u00e4n, Sweden (alarm call)

Nest
A shallow scrape in the ground, unlined, made by female.

Eggs (Guide)
3 - 9; matt, white; ellipsoidal. Incubation: about 31 days; mainly by female but often accompanied by male.

Young
Fledge in about 45 days. Fully independent after 9 - 11 weeks.

Subspecies
No subspecies.

References
See References.

The Reader's Digest Book of British Birds 1980, 3rd Edition, Drive Publications Ltd ISBN 0 340 25308 8
Birds in Colour Campbell, B., 1960, Penguin Books Ltd
The Pocket Guide to Nest and Eggs Fitter, R.S.R., 1954, Collins
RSPB Handbook of British Birds Holden, P., Cleeves, T., 2002, A & C Black ISBN 0 7136 5713 8
Birds of Britain and Europe Sterry, P., et al., 2001, AA Publishing ISBN 0 7495 3068 5
The Popular Handbook of British Birds Hollom, P.A.D., 1973, H.F. & G. Witherby Ltd ISBN 0 85493 002 7

Files:

JPG files for Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) - 10 files

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BirdLife International

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BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

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