18 Interesting Facts About Snowy Owl

The mighty snowy owl is the most dangerous of the northern winged predators. Silent flight, perfect pitch, and sharp claws make it deadly for any animals that are smaller in size and potentially suitable for food. The snowy owl practically does not contact people, preferring to stay away from them.

• Arctic foxes and foxes are their main enemies in the wild. They cannot cope with an adult bird, but chicks often become their victims.
• On average, about half of the snowy owl chicks survive to adulthood.
• The snowy owl never hunts near the nest so as not to draw attention to it. By the way, wolves do the same – they do not hunt near the place where their pack is now.
• An adult snowy owl can weigh up to three kilograms.
• These birds are solitary. They only meet with other snowy owls during the mating season.
• They became symbols of the Russian city of Novy Urengoy and the Canadian province of Quebec.
• Snowy owl chicks learn to fly when they are about two months old.
• The snowy owl is usually silent throughout the year, but its voice can be heard during the breeding season. He, however, does not sound very pleasant.
• On average, snowy owls live 9-10 years in the wild and up to 25-28 years in zoos.
• They feed mainly on lemmings. The average snowy owl eats up to one and a half thousand of these animals per year, which is about five days.
• This bird is predominantly sedentary, but sometimes the lack of prey forces it to look for a new place.
• Sometimes snowy owls even hunt hares and ermines.
• They follow a strict meat diet. They do not eat berries, herbs, or any other plants.
• The snowy owl can turn its head 270 degrees. Nature has provided it with such a flexible neck because the eyes in the skull of this bird are motionless. To focus her gaze on any object, she has to turn her entire head.
• Among all tundra birds, the snowy owl is the largest.
• Thanks to its unique plumage, the snowy owl, like other eagle owls, flies completely silently.
• The wingspan of an adult snowy owl can reach one and a half meters.
• Other birds often settle closer to their nests, as snowy owls actively defend their territory from other predators.