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Snowy Owl
Bubo scandiacus
Audubon Illustration
John James Audubon, Birds of America (1827-1838). Public domain.
Range & Recent Observations
Last Spotted Near You
About the Snowy Owl
The snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus), also known as the polar owl, the white owl and the Arctic owl, is a large, white owl of the true owl family. Snowy owls are native to the Arctic regions of both North America and the Palearctic, breeding mostly on the tundra. It has a number of unique adaptations to its habitat and lifestyle, which are quite distinct from other extant owls. One of the largest species of owl, it is the only owl with mainly white plumage. Males tend to be a purer white overall while females tend to have more extensive flecks of dark brown. Juvenile male snowy owls have dark markings and may appear similar to females until maturity, at which point they typically turn whiter.
Source: Wikipedia
Classification
- Scientific name
- Bubo scandiacus
- Family
- Owls
- Order
- Strigiformes
Similar species
Other members of the owls family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.
- Balsas Screech-Owl Megascops seductus
- Barred Owl Strix varia
- Bearded Screech-Owl Megascops barbarus
- Black-and-white Owl Strix nigrolineata
- Boreal Owl Aegolius funereus
- Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia
- Central American Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium griseiceps
- Cinereous Owl Strix sartorii
- Colima Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium palmarum
- Crested Owl Lophostrix cristata
- Eastern Screech-Owl Megascops asio
- Elf Owl Micrathene whitneyi
Know when the Snowy Owl turns up near you
How rare bird alerts work →Gear for spotting Snowy Owl
Optics
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Cameras
Cameras for Bird Photography
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