What is the distribution range of snowy owl?
What is the snowy owl’s habitat?
How rare is it to see a snowy owl?
Where do snowy owls live in the United States?
Where do snowy owls live in Canada?
Where do snowy owls live in the UK?
Where are snowy owls most common?
Where is the best place to see snowy owls?
Where do snowy owls live in winter?
Where do snowy owls live in the summer?
Where does the snowy owl go at night?
Snowy Owl Habitat FAQs
snowy owl (swollen lymph nodes in the groin) – sometimes called the arctic owl – is a beautiful and fascinating bird. Unlike many species, these owls can withstand fairly extreme winter conditions. Its breeding and wintering range is further north than any other owl.
Snowy owls live and nest in their Arctic tundra habitat near the North Pole. Owls are also found throughout Canada and the northern United States during the winter. Scandinavia, the British Isles, and central Russia are other areas where snowy owls may overwinter.
Snowy owls are unique in their range and don’t offer many viewing opportunities for the average person. It’s not impossible to observe this magnificent bird, though. Read on to learn more about snowy owl habitats, and where you might have a chance to see them in the wild!
Snowy owl flies over a field in Ottawa, Canada
What is the distribution range of snowy owl?
The snowy owl is a circumpolar species. Their range mainly includes the northernmost regions around the Arctic. During the breeding season, they can be found from approximately 60⁰ to 82⁰ north latitudes. In North America, these areas include the Aleutian Islands, coastal Alaska, the Canadian Arctic Islands, and northern parts of Canadian territories such as the Yukon Territory and the Territory of Quebec.
The snowy owl’s breeding range in Europe and Asia includes Greenland, the northernmost regions of other Scandinavian countries and Russia. They are also suspected of nesting in Britain’s Shetland Islands (at least historically).
The owl’s wintering range includes areas south of the birds’ usual breeding grounds. Snowy owls can be seen throughout the Nordic continent and central Russia. They are also frequently observed in Iceland and the British Isles.
In North America, migrations of snowy owls to southern Canada and the northern United States are common — especially the New England states and around the Great Lakes.
The snowy owl is mainly distributed in the northernmost areas near the North Pole
What is the snowy owl’s habitat?
The Arctic tundra is the habitat of snowy owls. Within the tundra, snowy owls will live anywhere there is an abundance of prey—near lakes, rivers, and swamps. Birds prefer open, rolling tundra, with high spots for nesting and roosting. They usually nest near water sources, such as the Arctic Ocean.
In winter, snowy owls migrate to tundra-like habitats. These places can include open coastal areas and dunes, swamps, grasslands, and even farmland. These birds are also known for overwintering on the sea ice of the Arctic.
How rare is it to see a snowy owl?
Given that the birds spend most of their time in the remote Arctic tundra, snowy owls are rarely seen. However, it is not impossible to observe them within their wintering range, especially in Canada and the northern United States.
snowy owl is rare
Where do snowy owls live in the United States?
Snowy owls are common in the northeastern United States in winter. They can rest or hunt in open fields and tundra-like areas in New York and New England. These owls also visit the American Midwest and Pacific Northwest from time to time.
Although less common, snowy owls have been observed as far south as Oklahoma or Florida. This may only happen if food sources become scarce due to increased owl populations.
Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) flying over the tundra in Barrow, Alaska, USA
Where do snowy owls live in Canada?
In the northern Canadian Arctic, snowy owls can be seen year-round on the high rolling tundra where they nest. These birds often remain in their breeding grounds during the winter, but can also be found throughout the Canadian territories.
A snowy owl lands on a post in Quebec, Canada in winter
Where do snowy owls live in the UK?
Once upon a time, Snowy Owls bred on the Isle of Fetra in the Shetland Islands. Today, the owl is just an occasional visitor to the Shetland, Outer Hebrides and Cairngorms.
Where are snowy owls most common?
Snowy owls are most commonly found in the arctic tundra regions of North America, Scandinavia, and Russia. These areas are where the birds breed and spend most of their lives. In their winter range, owls are common in southern Canada and the northern United States.
snowy owl hunting on field
Where is the best place to see snowy owls?
The best places to see snowy owls are the arctic tundra regions of North America, Scandinavia, and Russia—areas that many people never get the chance to venture into. However, if you want to see one of these magnificent snowbirds without going to the North Pole, it’s not entirely impossible.
In North America, the snowy owl is a frequent visitor to southern Canada and the US state of New England. They may also overwinter in the Shetland or Cairngorms in northern Scotland. Parts of Russia and China also belong to the bird’s wintering range.
Keep an eye out for them in habitats similar to the tundra environments they are well adapted to, such as open plains and coastal dunes. They may inhabit hedgerows or low shrubs, but are more often ground dwellers.
snowy owl cry
Where do snowy owls live in winter?
Snowy owls have a wintering range throughout the Canadian territories and the northern United States, especially New England, but may also winter in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest. The bird is occasionally seen as far south as Oklahoma, but this is much less common.
Snowy owls prefer to be close to open water and are also known to winter in the Bering Sea, sometimes on ice floes. They also have a winter range in the Shetland Islands, mainland Europe and central Russia. Although, the presence of this bird in Europe is irregular at best.
It is not uncommon for snowy owls to overwinter in their northern breeding grounds when food sources are plentiful. Owls are bred for cold climates and can withstand harsh arctic winters as long as they have enough food to maintain their energy levels.
snowy owl resting
Where do snowy owls live in the summer?
In summer, snowy owls live in the Arctic tundra near the North Pole. They usually nest near open water, such as arctic seas. Common breeding ranges include the Canadian Arctic Islands, the Aleutian Islands, coastal Alaska, Scandinavia, and northern Russia.
These owls are sometimes nomadic throughout the summer. Because these birds rely heavily on large numbers of small rodents, such as lemmings and voles, they concentrate in areas with greater food density.
Where does the snowy owl go at night?
Like other owl species, snowy owls are nocturnal and therefore most active at night. Owls spend most of their day resting in one place. Then, at dusk, they will begin their nocturnal hunt.
snowy owl on snow
Snowy Owl Habitat FAQs
Do snowy owls live in Florida?
Snowy owls don’t live in Florida. However, they do rarely appear there. The birds occasionally fly further south when food sources become more scarce due to increased populations.
Where are snowy owls in Michigan?
Snowy owls have been observed overwintering as far south as Lansing, Michigan. They are not uncommon in this area. The area around the Great Lakes is reminiscent of their tundra habitat.
Are snowy owls in Pennsylvania?
Snowy owls may be seen in Pennsylvania in winter. However, only a handful are observed each winter. These Arctic-dwelling birds tend to spend the winter further north in the United States.
Do snowy owls live in the northern or southern hemisphere?
Snowy owls live in the northern hemisphere. They prefer the arctic tundra habitats of northernmost North America, Scandinavia, and Russia.
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Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.