Credit: Ray Barlow
North American field guide
Snowy Owl
Bubo scandiacus
Also known as:Arctic Owl, Great White Owl
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Identification
Field notes
51-69 cm (20-27") Uncommon. Northern Canada; juveniles are especially irruptive southward some winters. Open country; tundra, fields, marshes, airports, beaches.
Unmistakable large white owl with yellow eyes and no ear tufts. Spotting and barring varies with sex and age; heavier on females, heaviest on juveniles, with some old males pure white.
Diurnal.
Preys chiefly on lemmings. Perches near or on ground often letting birders approach very close.
Song: usually silent.
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Videos
Snowy Owl
Credit: Larry BondSnowy Owl Invasion
Credit: Cornell Lab of OrnithologyBird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant · 1 rule
These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.
Snowy Owl
1 ruleRule 1 8 criteria · confidence 2
- Did the owl have EAR TUFTS ?
- No · Unknown
- What colour was the BREAST ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the BILL ?
- Hooked · Unknown
- What LENGTH was the BILL ?
- Very short · Short · Unknown
- What colour were the EYES ?
- White or light gray · Yellow or olive · Unknown
- What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
- How BIG was the bird ?
- Crow-sized · Goose-sized
- What TYPE of bird was seen ?
- Owl