I'm Owen the Puffkin Snowy owl made by Swibco and I'm the owl up front and in the middle of this group of Snowy Owls. At far left is the Class of 2004 Beanie Baby Snowy Owl and the little owl in front of the Beanie is a keychain made by the Stuffed Animal House. The middle owl in back is a Snowy Owl made by Wild Republic. It is a limited edition owl that is only available by purchasing 6 other Audubon Birds from any retailer who sells them. Jeannie's Cottage does sell the Audubon Bird series. You'll find them in the Gift Shop. The owl on the right is a female Snowy Owl made by Wild Republic.

The Snowy Owl, Nyctea scandiaca, of the family Strigidae, is a large (length: 24 inches, wingspan: 4 feet 7 inches) white owl with rounded head and yellow eyes. Dark bars and spots are heavier on females, heaviest on young birds. Old males may be pure white. The Snowy's habitat is open country: tundra, dunes, marshes and fields, plains. Snowy Owls show little fear of human activities, and so it is not uncommon to see one perched on the roof of a building or on a highway sign beside an airport.

The owls are usually silent in winter, but on their breeding grounds they hoot, whistle, rattle and bark.

The nest, found on the ground, is lined with feathers, mosses and lichens. There the female lays 5-8 white eggs.

In order to withstand the harsh northern winters, Snowies are densely covered with feathers all the way down to their toes.

The prey is chiefly lemmings (but Snowies also take hares, ptarmigan, shorebirds, small ducks, and other birds, as well as some fish). They hunt by day during the Arctic summer, as well as at night.

The Snowy retreats from the northernmost part of its range in winter. In years when the lemming population plummets, Snowies may wander in winter as far south as northern Alabama, Oklahoma and central California. These irruptives, usually heavily barred younger birds, are often highly visible, perched conspicuously on the ground or on low stumps, fence posts and buildings. Snowies breed in northern Alaska and in northernmost Canada. They winter south throughout Canada into the northern United States, irregularly farther. They are also found in Eurasia.

Arctic Fox | Arctic Hare | Caribou | Musk Ox | Polar Bear | Narwhal
Snowy Owl | Walrus | Wolverine