SNOWY OWL

NEWS: The United Nations Convention has granted international protection to the Snowy Owl

ABOUT

• Scientific NameàBubo scandiacus, a large, iconic white owl.
• Native to the Arctic regions of North America, Europe, and Asia.
• MigrationàDuring winters to southern Canada, northern United States, and parts of Eurasia.
• Primarily breed on the open, treeless Arctic tundra, grasslands, and coastal habitats.
• In winteràmigrate south to marshes, beaches, and agricultural fields that mimic the flat landscape of their home.
• Known as the “Harry Potter owl” due to its popular association.

FEATURES

• Large, white owl with black or brown markings.
• Malesàgenerally whiter than females, grow older and get whiter.
• The females never become completely white, remaining brownish with darker markings.
• Diurnalà they are active and hunt during the day, a necessary adaptation for the 24-hour daylight of Arctic summers.
• They are territorial, defending breeding and sometimes wintering grounds, often engaging in combat with other owls over territory.
• Dietà Primarily feeds on lemmings and small rodents, also hunts birds and small mammals.

Conservation Status

• IUCN – Vulnerable.
• CITES – Appendix II.
• Threats – Climate change is affecting Arctic ecosystems, habitat disturbance, and prey decline.