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A snowy owl named Ukpik looks at the camera
Creature Feature

Snowy Owl

August 1, 2025 | by |
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The snowy owl is native to Arctic regions in both North America and the Palearctic. They are homeotherms, meaning they are able to regulate their internal body temperatures to withstand the cold, and are covered with insulating feathers to defend arctic winds and predators. 

Male snowy owls tend to be a purer white while females have more extensive flecks of dark brown feathers. Juvenile male snowy owls have dark markings but typically turn whiter as they mature. 

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Snowy owls measure between 52-64 cm in length, and weigh between 1600-3000g. Their wingspan ranges between 126-145 cm.

Snowy owls inhabit the tundra, as well as marshes and dunes.

They are carnivorous birds that hunt at all hours of the day, remaining close to the ground for stalking, hunting and consuming prey. They eat small mammals, predominantly lemmings, but are also known to eat fish, birds and rabbits.

The snowy owl is a reserved species, often shy to observers. When threatened they can become aggressive, hissing, screaming and even striking at those who invade their space.

The incubation period is 32 days. Mothers will hatch their eggs in intervals, caring for each newborn owl as they hatch. The young snowy owls may leave the nest as early as two weeks old, but the parent snowy owls will continue to feed them until roughly 10 weeks old.

The snowy owl’s average lifespan is nine years.

 Snowy owls are not a globally threatened species.

Zookeeper Makayla feeds Ukpik the Snowy Owl in his outdoor habitat
Ukpik spreads his wings to take flight
Ukpik the Snowy Owl looks at the camera

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