Jessica Wu Michelle Lai James Ung Nicole Taha Snowy Owls Jessica Wu Michelle Lai James Ung Nicole Taha

Classification Kingdom is Animalia Phylum is Chordata Class is Aves Order is Strigiformes Family is Strigidae Genus is Bubo and species is B. scandiacus

Behavioral Characteristics Snowy owls’ height is up to 27 inches – one of the biggest owls. In the summer, they are brownish with dark spots and stripes. In winter, they are completely white. They have strong wings, and they use them to soar over the Arctic tundra to look for prey, where they live. The owls catch and eat birds, fish, and other small animals. Male owls nest in little holes in the ground, while the females stay with their young. These large owls breed on the tundra, where females lay a clutch of 3 to 11 eggs.

Physical Characteristics Feet are feathers and have extra thick pads Adults have almost pure white coloring Wingspan: 45 to 60 inches Large round heads, yellow eyes, black beaks Females have brown spots and bars Females are larger than males

Food Source A snowy owl's preferred meal is lemmings—many lemmings. An adult may eat more than 1,600 lemmings a year, or three to five every day. The birds supplement their diet with rabbits, rodents, birds, and fish. Food is good :D

Habitat These magnificent owls sometimes remain during the year in their northern breeding grounds, but they are frequent migrants to Canada, the northern United States, Europe, and Asia. Lemmings being available may determine the length of southern migration, when owls take up summer living on open fields, marshes, and beaches. Hey!

Adaptations Snowy Owls are adapted to cold and snowy weather. They use fat left over from summer to survive when food is scarce. Instead of flying to keep warm, the snowy owl stands as still as possible. They also camouflage in the snow so they can protect from their predators such as the arctic fox and even humans.

Interesting Facts Unlike most owls, which are nocturnal, snowy owls are diurnal which means they hunt and are active both day and night. Snowy owls have keen eyesight and great hearing, which can help them find prey that is invisible under thick vegetation or snow cover. Their average lifespan in the wild is 9.5 years. The snowy owl is a patient hunter that waits for its prey. Snowy owls have sharp talons that can catch and kill their prey.

Citations http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/snowy-owl.html http://books.google.com/books.html http://lsb.syr.edu/projects/cyberzoo/snowyowl.html http://library.thinkquest.org/3500/snowy_owl.html Visit these Sites now!

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