Home › Aves › Strigidae › Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus)
SPECIES PROFILE
Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus)
Bubo
IUCN STATUS
Vulnerable
CONSERVATION STATUS
Vulnerable
CLASS
Aves
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Circumpolar Arctic tundra; Alaska breeding grounds around Utqiagvik; irruptive winter range south into temperate areas
DIET
Carnivore
HABITAT
Arctic tundra near Barrow for breeding; open tundra, grasslands, and coastlines in winter
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Aves
ORDER
Strigiformes
FAMILY
Strigidae
GENUS
Bubo
📋 Description
SIZE
52–71 cm; 1.6–2.9 kg; wingspan up to 165 cm
COLORATION
Adults pure white (males) to white heavily barred with dark brown (females and young); large rounded yellow eyes; no ear tufts
ADAPTATIONS
Feathers on feet and bill base for Arctic insulation; asymmetric ears beneath the facial disc for precise sound location under snow; hunts by day
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Arctic tundra near Barrow for breeding; open tundra, grasslands, and coastlines in winter
DIET
Carnivore
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Circumpolar Arctic tundra; Alaska breeding grounds around Utqiagvik; irruptive winter range south into temperate areas
REPRODUCTION
Clutch size 3–14 eggs depending on lemming abundance; may skip breeding in poor lemming years; female incubates while male hunts
DIET DETAILS
Lemmings are the dietary staple; a pair with a large clutch may consume 1,500 lemmings per season; also Arctic hares, ptarmigan, and waterfowl
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Climate change altering lemming cycles; power-line and vehicle collisions during winter irruptions; disturbance at nest sites
💡 Interesting Facts
1
Snowy Owls near Utqiagvik, Alaska, hunt in continuous arctic summer daylight — they are fully diurnal, unlike most owls, and can be seen hunting at any hour of the day.
2
A pair of Snowy Owls raising a large brood of 9 chicks can consume over 1,500 lemmings in a single breeding season — the equivalent of more than 100 kg of food.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Utqiagvik (Barrow), AK, is the most accessible location in the US to see breeding Snowy Owls on open Arctic tundra
Fairbanks, AK, sees Snowy Owls in winter irruption years on open fields and roadsides
Kodiak Island, AK, receives Snowy Owls in winter along open coastal grasslands and tidal flats
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
June and July near Utqiagvik (Barrow), AK, for breeding pairs on open tundra; winter irruptions bring birds to Anchorage and Fairbanks.
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Year-round in arctic Alaska; breeding grounds on Barrow tundra in summer; winter irruptions bring owls to southern Alaska and beyond.
