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Snowy owls are mostly white with narrow, sparse brown bars and spots. Young owls and females have more dark markings, while males become whiter as they age.
They are the largest owl in North America by weight. Their dense feathering helps keep them warm through their habitat’s year-round icy cold.
Why are snowy owls imperiled?
The impacts of climate change and oil and gas development are the biggest threat to the snowy owls’ habitat and its prey. Oil and gas development can directly reduce available nesting, breeding and hunting habitats, making its impact extend far beyond the direct footprint of development. Studies have shown oil and gas development also can result in impacts to the owl’s prey, such as increased disturbance and reduced nesting success. Oil spills and pollution, including air pollution, may impact snowy owls as well.
The impacts of climate change and oil and gas development threaten the owl’s habitat and prey.
Defenders' Impact
We are fighting to protect important Arctic habitat for snowy owls, and prevent further oil and gas development in critical areas in Alaska’s Arctic, including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska.
What You Can Do
Help protect habitat and fight climate change.
About
Snowy owls are found in the Arctic. During the winter, some snowy owls migrate to southern Canada and the northern half of the contiguous United States, but their migration is highly irregular. These owls prefer treeless, wide-open landscapes where they can hunt from the ground.
Snowy owls number around 200,000 but an exact population is hard to determine.
Snowy owls, unlike most owls, hunt during the daytime. They will utilize all hours during the Arctic summer’s continuous daylight.
Snowy owls nest on the tundra ground. Females scrape out a shallow hollow and then shape it by pressing their bodies into the depression. Nest sites are often returned to and used year after year. Snowy owl clutch sizes depend on availability of food. When lemming populations (a primary prey source) boom, clutch sizes can double or triple that year.
Owls eat smaller birds, rodents, small mammals, snakes and other reptiles, and insects. Snowy owls’ primary prey are lemmings, which are small rodents.
