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SNOWY OWL
Nyctea scandiaca
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Snowy,
a male snowy owl,
was found on a runway at McGuire Air Force Base during the frigid
winter of 2001. Snowy's right wing was completely torn away, apparently
from a collision with a jet. He was dehydrated when he arrived at
the Refuge, but soon regained his health.
Snowy was
moved into a large, new outdoor aviary where he continues to thrive.
He sits on the ground, as he would in the Arctic, rather than on
a perch. Snowy does suffer from the New Jersey heat, so a large
fan cools him during hot summer months.
Although
shy with strangers,
Snowy will often vocalize with familiar staff members.
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Snowy Owl Facts
- Found in the Arctic regions
of the world
- May occasionally winter
as far south as New Jersey when native food sources are scarce
- Rare sightings occur along
NJ marine coastlines, marshes, open grasslands, and airfields
(areas which resemble the broad, flat, treeless Arctic tundra)
- Belongs to a group of carnivorous
birds known as raptors, or
birds of prey
- Is typically diurnal
(active in the daytime) unlike most other owls
- Perches close to, or on
the ground; generally hunts by sitting and waiting
- Exceptional hearing and
eyesight
- Fixed eyes and flexible
neck (can rotate head 270 degrees)
- Sharp talons used to capture
and kill prey; short curved beak used to tear prey apart when
too large to swallow whole
- Eats lemmings, voles, and
other small mammals; occasionally birds and fish
- Dense feathers all the way
to its toes provide insulation against the cold.
- Strong steady flyer; can
travel great distances
- Males are generally pure
white (may have some dark barring); females are larger in size
and white with heavy dark barring
- Usually mates for life
- Female forms shallow nest
on the ground; both parents care for young
- Lifespan up to 10 years
in the wild and 35 years in captivity
Links
to more facts about snowy owls:
http://www.owlpages.com/species/nyctea/scandiaca/Default.htm
http://www.owling.com/Snowy_nh.htm
http://www.lpzoo.com/tour/factsheets/birds/snowy_owl.html
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