THE ANIMAL FILES

Snowy owl

Bubo scandiacus

A snowy owl’s nest is a scrape in open tundra, not a tree hollow.

The snowy owl breeds in open northern landscapes and hunts a range of animals. Lemmings are important in many breeding areas, while winter movements can carry some birds well beyond their usual northern range.[1]

Follow the evidence ↓
Snowy owl
Image: Bill Bouton from San Luis Obispo, CA, USA · Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
Nest
A shallow ground scrape[1]
Food
Small mammals and birds[1]
Winter movement
Varies substantially among years[1]

A mound with a view

Nest sites are often dry, snow-free raised places with views over open tundra. A female scrapes a shallow bowl in the ground. The surrounding shape and visibility matter more than having a tree to hold a nest.[1]

Lemmings and alternatives

Small mammals feature strongly in the diet, especially lemmings in northern areas. Birds such as ptarmigan and waterfowl also occur, and prey use varies regionally and seasonally. A single prey list cannot capture all wintering birds.[1]

Southward arrivals need context

Some winters bring unusually many birds into lower latitudes. Productive breeding seasons can contribute more young migrants, so a southern sighting is not by itself proof that the individual was driven out by starvation.[1]

A COMMON MIX-UP

Do all owls require a tree cavity?

No. Snowy owls typically use a shallow scrape on the ground in open tundra.[1]

TRY A LITTLE REASONING

Why compare nesting success with winter arrivals farther south?

Reveal the explanation

A larger cohort of young can contribute to an irruption, providing an explanation beyond a simple food-shortage assumption.[1]

Sources & editorial notes

Adapted and translated from the cited Wikipedia revisions, with source-linked reasoning. Image credit and licence are listed separately above.

Adapted and translated from Wikipedia contributors; exact revisions are linked below. CC BY-SA 4.0

  1. Wikipedia contributors — Snowy owl (fixed revision; adapted and translated)
  2. NCBI Taxonomy — Bubo scandiacus (identity and classification)

Last fact check:

One discovery leads to another

Western barn owlA pellet can preserve the evidence of dinner.Tyto alba ↗Andean condorA huge bird can travel on rising air.Vultur gryphus ↗Peregrine falconA hunting dive is not the same measurement as level flight.Falco peregrinus ↗