The Snowy Owl is one of the most iconic birds in Canada. With its pure white plumage and bright yellow eyes, this large owl is a stunning sight to behold. Though found across the northern regions of North America, Snowy Owls are strongly associated with the vast open tundra habitats of Canada. Here they nest and hunt, drifting southwards when food becomes scarce. Read on to learn more fascinating facts about this majestic bird and its ties to Canada.
What is the Snowy Owl?
The Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) is a large species of owl within the typical owl family (Strigidae). Adults have white plumage with variable black/brown barring, while juveniles are more heavily marked. Their wingspan is around 4.5-5 feet, making them one of the largest North American owls.
Some key facts about Snowy Owls:
- Scientific name: Bubo scandiacus
- Average length: 20-28 inches
- Average weight: 3.5-6.5 lbs
- Wingspan: 4.5-5 feet
- Lifespan: Up to 10 years in the wild
Snowy Owls are circumpolar owls, meaning they breed in the Arctic/subarctic regions of the northern latitudes in North America, Europe, and Asia. Though widespread, they are highly associated with the open tundra landscapes of Canada.
Where are Snowy Owls found in Canada?
In Canada, Snowy Owls are found across all provinces and territories, though they are most abundant in the central and eastern Arctic regions. This includes much of Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, the northern regions of Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Labrador.
Some key nesting and breeding grounds for Snowy Owls in Canada include:
- Baffin Island
- Ellesmere Island
- Banks Island
- Victoria Island
- Southampton Island
- Northern Quebec
- Northern Manitoba
- Northern Ontario
- Northern Alberta
Snowy Owls nest on open tundra, often on elevated mounds, hills, or low mountain slopes. The nests themselves are shallow scrapes or depressions lined with feathers and down.
During the winter months, Snowy Owls may move somewhat south of their breeding territories. However, many remain within the northern regions of the Canadian provinces throughout the year.
What is the habitat of the Snowy Owl?
Snowy Owls are intimately associated with the open tundra habitat found across much of northern Canada and Alaska.
Key features of Snowy Owl tundra habitat include:
- Open, treeless landscapes
- Low-growing grasses, mosses, and shrubs
- Relatively flat terrain with rolling hills
- Elevated mounds, slopes, and ridge tops for nesting
- Wet meadows, ponds, lakes for foraging
- Free of snow in summer for nesting and rearing young
This barren arctic/subarctic tundra provides ideal habitat for these owls to hunt, nest, breed, and raise their young during the relatively short summer season. It gives them wide open spaces to spot prey like lemmings and excellent elevated perches for surveying their territories. The lack of trees also enables easy take-off and landing.
In winter, Snowy Owls may drift into adjacent open habitats like grasslands, marshes, and agricultural fields. But they are still most at home on the open northern tundra landscapes.
What do Snowy Owls eat?
Snowy Owls are opportunistic predators that feed mainly on small mammals and birds:
- Lemmings – Primary prey species in the Arctic tundra
- Voles – Also major prey source where abundant
- Mice & rats – Important prey, sometimes fluctates in cycles
- Hares & rabbits – Larger prey taken occasionally
- Ground squirrels – Eat Arctic ground squirrels
- Birds – Ptarmigan, waterfowl, shorebirds, gulls, and passerines
- Insects – Opportunistically eat in summer months
Their talons and powerful beak allow them to swiftly kill even relatively large prey like hares. In years when lemmings and voles decline, they may switch to hunting more birds.
Being highly adapted predators of the open tundra, Snowy Owls have excellent eyesight and hearing to detect prey across vast distances. Their cryptic white plumage also provides camouflage when hunting.
How do Snowy Owls hunt?
Snowy Owls have several key hunting strategies and behaviors:
- Perch on high vantage points to spot prey
- Hover in place and scan terrain for movement
- Walk/run along ground to flush hiding prey
- Plunge feet-first to pin prey beneath talons
- Sometimes chase prey in flight for short distances
- Remain camouflaged and patiently wait in ambush
- Mainly crepuscular/diurnal, but can hunt at night
- Cache excess food in snow banks and nests
Their excellent eyesight enables them to spot tiny movements from rodents up to a mile away. Acute hearing also helps them detect prey under the snow pack. Snowy Owls often hunt from perches on high hills, rocky outcrops, fence posts, and other elevated sites. This gives them an elevated view over the open tundra.
How do Snowy Owls reproduce?
Snowy Owls have the following key reproductive behaviors:
- Mature at 1-2 years old
- Nest on the ground in shallow depressions
- Breed from May to September
- Lay 3-11 eggs per clutch
- Eggs are white and incubated by female
- Young hatch after about 32-34 days
- Chicks fledge at around 7-8 weeks
- Male provides food, female guards nest
Nest sites are usually elevated mounds, slopes, or banks that provide a wide view over the tundra. The female alone incubates the eggs while being provisioned by the male. The eggs hatch asynchronously over several days, with the older owlets often outcompeting their younger siblings for food.
How many Snowy Owls are there in Canada?
Snowy Owl populations in Canada are estimated at around 200,000 to 300,000 owls. However, their numbers can fluctuate greatly between years and regions.
In peak lemming and vole years, Snowy Owls may have much higher reproductive success and numbers. During years with prey crashes, their populations decline steeply. Climate, disease, predators, and other factors also drive fluctuations.
Overall, Snowy Owl populations are considered stable at this time and not at imminent risk in Canada. But more monitoring is needed to fully understand their population ecology in the changing Arctic.
What is the conservation status of Snowy Owls?
The conservation status of the Snowy Owl in Canada is currently considered Secure according to the IUCN Red List criteria:
- IUCN Red List Category: Least Concern
- CITES: Not listed
- COSEWIC: Not at risk
- SARA: No Schedule
While their populations fluctuate, Snowy Owls remain widespread and abundant across northern Canada and their range. They face no major widespread threats at this time.
Potential local threats that may impact Snowy Owls include:
- Prey fluctuations (lemmings, voles, etc)
- Climate change affecting the tundra ecosystem
- Human disturbance near nests
- Collisions with vehicles and aircraft
- Environmental contaminants in the Arctic
But despite these issues, Snowy Owl populations appear stable currently in Canada. Ongoing monitoring and protection of tundra habitats will help ensure their numbers remain strong.
Where can I see Snowy Owls in Canada?
Some of the best places to spot Snowy Owls in Canada include:
- Churchill, Manitoba – Major wintering area with owl tours
- Quebec’s Hudson Bay coast – Large numbers gather each winter
- Point Pelee, Ontario – Often seen during winter irruptions
- Rochester, Alberta – Reliable wintering spot near Edmonton
- Boundary Bay, British Columbia – Sometimes seen in winter here
- Northern Ontario – Scan open areas near James Bay
- Ottawa region – Irregular winter visitor to the area
Your best chances are to visit known wintering concentrations, such as Churchill or Quebec’s Hudson Bay coast. Scanning open habitats like fields can also be productive during irruption years when Snowies move farther south.
When can I see Snowy Owls in Canada?
The best times to see Snowy Owls in Canada are:
- October to April – Wintering period when many owls move south
- November to January – Peak winter sightings
- May to September – Nesting period in the far north. Require expeditions.
- Dawn/dusk – Most active hunting times
Snowy Owls begin arriving in southern Canada in October and November. Winter sightings peak from December to February, especially around the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Regions. Numbers dwindle by April as they migrate north again.
Seeing them on their remote Arctic breeding grounds requires specialized tours in summer. But this offers a rare look into their fascinating nesting behaviors and interactions.
Why do Snowy Owls come south in winter?
Snowy Owls undergo irregular wintertime movements south out of the Arctic down into southern Canada and sometimes the northern United States. These irruptions occur for several key reasons:
- Food shortages in the Arctic tundra
- Declines in lemming populations
- Lack of suitable prey in winter
- Competition from other Snowy Owls
- Need for better access to food
- Younger birds wander farther than adults
When lemming numbers crash, it creates a food shortage for owls in the tundra. This triggers irregular movements south in search of better hunting grounds.
Snowy Owls occasionally irrupt as far south as southern Ontario, the Prairie Provinces, and the northern U.S. But most tend to remain within the boreal forest regions of northern Canada.
How do Snowy Owls survive cold Arctic winters?
Snowy Owls are highly adapted to survive freezing winters and deep snow in the high Arctic regions of Canada:
- Thick plumage of feathers and down insulates from cold
- Compact rounded body reduces exposed surface area
- Thick layer of fat built up before winter
- Feathered legs and feet keep toes warm in snow
- Countercurrent heat exchange in legs retains body heat
- Black skin on feet absorbs heat from sunshine
- Snow burrowing provides shelter from wind/snow
- Can lower metabolism and enter torpor to conserve energy
A combination of specialized adaptations allows Snowy Owls to withstand the harshest winter conditions. Their plumage and fat layers prevent heat loss, while countercurrent heat exchange in their legs prevents blood from cooling down before returning to their core.
Snowy Owls will also burrow into the snow for insulation when resting or sleeping. This protects them from frigid Arctic winds. By entering torpor states, they can further conserve energy on extremely cold days and nights.
How do people interact with Snowy Owls in Canada?
Snowy Owls have a range of interactions with people in Canada:
- Important part of Inuit indigenous culture and folklore
- Subject of paintings, carvings, music, and other art forms
- Featured on Canadian currency and in films/media
- Prominent mascot for Quebec’s Montreal Canadiens hockey team
- Major attraction for wildlife tourism in Churchill, Manitoba
- Draw birders during winter irruptions across Canada
- Collide occasionally with aircraft around airports
- Killed sometimes for taxidermy or illegal trade
Snowy Owls are culturally significant for Canada’s Inuit people, appearing frequently in oral histories and traditional artwork. They also attract tourists on owl-viewing tours and birders during winter irruptions. Collisions with aircraft pose some risk near airports. Public education helps reduce harm to owls from illegal killing or disturbance.
Fun facts about Snowy Owls
Some fascinating fun facts about Snowy Owls include:
- The world’s heaviest owl species, sometimes weighing over 6 pounds
- Mostly silent, but can make barking, chattering, and hissing sounds
- Male Snowy Owls perform dramatic sky dancing courtship displays
- The Latin name “Bubo scandiacus” means “northern owl”
- Young owls turn their heads upside down to beg for food from parents
- Stomachs can stretch to allow them to gorge on prey after long fasts
- Will readily nest on man-made platforms and structures in the tundra
- Have been recorded diving into snow to catch lemmings below the surface
From their elaborate courtship rituals to their ability to swallow lemmings whole, Snowy Owls demonstrate many fascinating behaviors and adaptations for life in the Far North. Their mysterious wanderings in winter only add to their mystical allure.
Conclusion
With its beautiful white plumage and grounding in the remote Arctic wilderness, the Snowy Owl has long captivated the hearts and minds of people across Canada. It remains an important cultural symbol and iconic wildlife species for the region. While prone to population fluctuations, it continues to find a stronghold on the open tundra landscapes it calls home. Taking steps to protect these vital breeding habitats and prey sources will ensure Snowy Owls remain part of Canada’s unique natural heritage for years to come.