Snowy owl Facts

About the snowy owl

Snowy owls breed mainly on the tundra of North America and the Palearctic. Males tend to be pure white, while females carry more dark brown flecks, and young males look like females until they mature. Unlike most owls, this one is often out in daylight, especially in summer.

Lemmings drive its breeding success and population, but outside the breeding season it eats almost anything available, mostly small mammals and northern water birds, plus carrion. Nests sit on small rises in the tundra. Clutches are large, often 5 to 11 eggs, laid and hatched on a staggered schedule. The chicks take a long time to grow, becoming independent in autumn. These owls wander, rarely nesting in the same place twice.

Did you know?

• Other names for the snowy owl include polar owl, white owl and Arctic owl.
• Brown markings on the wings are the best clue for telling a snowy owl's age and sex.
• The snowy owl is one of the largest owl species.