The Snowy Owl {Nycteanyctea) 

 By Gerard Alan Abbot 



Length : 25 inches. 



Range: Northern portion of northern hemisphere. Breeds north of United 

 States. In winter migrates south to Middle states. 



No Arctic explorer has yet penetrated too far north to find the snowy owl. 

 Private Long, of the Greeley expedition, who raised six of these owlets, released 

 them only because food became scarce enough for men during the second winter 

 of hardship, much less for such greedy pets. "They had inordinate appetites," 

 says the commander, "and from the time they were caught, as young owlets, 

 swallowed anything given to them. I remember one bolting a whole sandpiper 

 about half his own size. Over a hundred and fifty squas (robber gulls) were 

 killed and fed to these owls. It was interesting to note that, although they had 

 never used their wings, the owls flew well." In another volume. General Greeley 

 describes the Snowy Owls' eggs as "somewhat larger than, though closely resem- 

 bling, the white egg of a hen. Sergeant Israel found it very palatable. The male 

 bird showed signs of fight when the egg was taken, while the female looked on 

 from about one hundred yards. The first owl observed was on April 29, since then 

 one or more have been frequently seen. The nest is a mere hole hollowed out 

 on the summit of a commanding knoll, and furnished with a few scattered 

 feathers, grass, etc." 



The Snowy Owl breeds from Labrador northward, and wanders southward 

 in winter into the northern United States. 



Like the hawk owl, it is diurnal in its habits, but is most active in early 

 morning and again about dusk. Like the hawk owl, too, it occupies a command- 

 ing perch for hours on the watch, occasionally dropping on a rodent or sailing 

 about, soon to return to the same perch. 



"During January and February of 1902, there occurred a remarkable invasion 

 by snow owls, reported from localities as diverse as southern Michigan and Long 

 Island. They were especially abundant in Ontario, and were much sought for 

 their plumage. According to Mr. Ruthven Deane, "a Mr. Owens, taxidermist, 

 living near Mooresville, Middlesex county, received and mounted twenty-two 

 specimens during the winter, and commented on the fact that thirteen years ago 

 he prepared exactly the same number, not having handled a single specimen 

 during the interim." Mr. Deane collected information of more than 430 of these 

 owls that were killed during this one flight. 



"The home of the snowy owl is on the immense moss and lichen covered 

 tundras of the boreal regions, where it leads an easy existence, finding an abund- 

 ant supply of food during the short Arctic summers. Hunting its prey at all 

 hours, it subsists principally upon the lemming, and it is said to be always abund- 

 ant wherever these rodents are found in numbers. Other small rodents are also 



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