Magic exists on this earth. If you ever have doubts about it then open your eyes and look around. Magic is everywhere! In the invisible breeze that carries the scent of all the beautiful flowers. In the flowers you see and their breathtaking colors. Magic is in the butterflies that steal the colors from flowers and beautify their wings. Every living being on this earth has magic in them as you can see in these magical pictures of snowy owls that look ethereal.
Owls are enigmatic creatures. They seem as idle as wise they are. It is very fascinating to watch them living in their natural habitat. Today we will be seeing these beautiful snowy owls not just having the time of their lives but will also get to know some interesting facts about them. So keep scrolling and get ready to be surprised.
While owls can vary from looking creepy to cute, the type of owls that we are talking about here looks absolutely stunning. The snowy owl is a large, white owl of the true owl family. As you can see from these magical pictures of snowy owls, it gets its name from its snowy white plumage and the fact that they live in snowy regions. Snowy owls are also known as the white owl, the polar owl, and the Arctic owl. Snowy owls are native to Arctic regions in North America and Eurasia, breeding mostly on the tundra.
Being one of the largest owl species, the snowy owl is the only owl with largely white plumage. An adult male snowy owl ranges from pure white to having tiny brown spots while the females have extensive flecks of dark brown throughout their body except for the face. The face is always white and with striking yellow eyes.
We know owls as night creatures and that they are active mostly at night. But unlike their cousin species, snowy owls are also very active during the day, especially in the summers. Their beautiful white body helps them blend with their surroundings and their keen eyesight and hearing help them pinpoint their prey.
As they live in high, cold regions, the snow owls tend to have densely layered feathers on their legs and feet than the other owl species who live in warmer climates. It is only fair! After all, they need these feathers to keep them warm. Another interesting thing about their feathers is that the snowy owls have very light and soft flight feathers. This enables them to fly in absolute silence! The air doesn’t make noise as it passes through these soft feathers so you can hear not even a tiny flutter, nothing, zilch, nada. In other words, their prey can’t hear them coming. Now isn’t that mind-blowing!
Interesting Facts About The Snowy Owls
- Believe it or not but we all have loved this one Snowy Owl – Hedwig! Yup, the very letter carrier, friend, and companion of Harry Potter.
- Did you know that the snowy owl is the official bird of Quebec, Canada? No? Well, now you know!
- Snowy owls sit and wait for their prey being absolutely still and silent on lookouts. Eerie!
- Snowy owls love the lemmings, especially during the breeding season. And this why their local numbers fluctuate along with the lemming population.
- An adult Snowy Owl can eat three to five lemmings per day or up to 1,600 per year.
- Snowy Owls often hang out at airports, it could be because the wide-open spaces remind them of the tundra.
- Snowy owls need loads and loads of feathers to protect them from the harsh cold. This is why they are one of the heaviest owl species in North America.
- Their feet are covered with feathers, which makes them seem like fluffy slippers.
- Their wingspan is about 4 to 5 feet on average. Their strong wings help them being sneaky to their prey.
- Snowy owls have many names. Yup, even more than mentioned above. For instance, ghost owl, Scandanavian night bird, the great white owl, the white terror of the north, and Ookpik. All these names are because of their ghost-like appearance.
- Snowy owls toddle around after spending three weeks in their nest. It takes another month for them to be ready to fly.
- The snowy owls are monogamous but only for that particular breeding season. The next season, they find another mate.
Snowy Owls Taking Bath
It is clearly visible that this snowy owl is having fun in its bath time. Leaving all the tension and shedding all the dirt of the day, this owl looks absolutely relaxed. And who doesn’t love a good bath! These owls surely love their chilling time. Wink!
Snowy Owl Flying
With wide wingspan like that, these snowy owls are a picture of allure while they are flying. All the beauty of their powerful wings is right there on display to put us all in awe.
Snowy Owls In The Night
Snowy owls are a creature of their mood. They could be active during the day and at night. They could perch on a branch without making a peep, giving company to the stars and the moon. Perhaps even admiring the likeness of their appearance.
Snowy Owls With Their Mates
Although they don’t mate for life, snowy owls stay exclusive to their mates during breeding. The male owl keeps the food stocked for the female while she is busy warming the eggs.
The snowy owls live far from human civilizations and thus are safe from the threats like shooting, poisoning, or any accidents with vehicles or power lines. Be that as it may, they are still in danger because of human ignorance of climate change. So let’s do our share to help the environment and save these beautiful snowy owls.