Snowy Owl

The Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) is a large, white-plumaged raptor and the heaviest owl species in North America, with females typically outweighing males and carrying more dark brown barring across their feathers. It breeds on open Arctic tundra across northern Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Scandinavia, and Russia, nesting directly on the ground in elevated spots with clear sightlines, and winters irregularly across southern Canada, the northern United States, and parts of northern Eurasia.

Within the Arctic tundra, Snowy Owls are closely tied to the population cycles of lemmings, which form the core of their diet during breeding season; in years of low lemming abundance, pairs may skip breeding entirely rather than attempt to raise chicks without sufficient food. The IUCN Red List classifies the species as Vulnerable, driven by climate change-related disruption to Arctic habitats, shifting prey cycles, collision with vehicles and power lines during winter irruptions, and the compounding effects of industrial development and increased human activity at the edges of the breeding range.