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Snowy Owl
This large, white owl has a rounded head and yellow
eyes. Both sexes of the Snowy Owl have dark bars and spots although they are
heavier on the larger female; old males may be pure white. This usually silent
bird will sometimes utter a shrill whistle and hoarse croak on breeding grounds.
They are seen in the Upper Peninsula during the winter months. The snowy owl
breeds in northern Alaska and in northernmost Canada; winters are spent throughout
Canada and in northern United States. Snowy Owls prefer open country such
as tundra, dunes, marshes, fields, plains and airports in the winter.
The Snowy Owl depends on lemmings for their major food source. However, the
lemming population fluctuates from year to year so when the supply gets too
low, the snowy owl will migrate south in great numbers. 5-8 white eggs are
laid in a nest lined with feathers, mosses, and lichens which is placed on
the open tundra.