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Snowy Owl
Nyctea scandiacus
by Chad
Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: chordata
Class: Aves
Order: strigiformes
Family: Strigidae
Genus:Nyctea
Species: N. scandiacus
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Physical Description
Height: up to 27 in. it is one of the biggest owls. Wing span:
45-60 in. Color: In the summer the Snowy owl turns brown
with dark spots. In the winter they are pure white.
Diet and Feeding Habits
In the arctic the snowy owls eat Arctic hares, Foxes, or Sea birds.
When available but lemming is its primary prey.
sReproduction
Snowy owls usually nest on the ground on an elevated site. The
number of egg’s born is highly variable (0-9 or more depending on the
availability of prey. The egg’s are incubated for 31-33 day’s.
Habitat
The Snowy owl is a bird of the arctic, or open grass
lands and fields. It is an occasional visitor to Maine.
Role in the Ecosystem
The snowy owl is a carnivore. The
Snowy owl is able to hunt silently during the day unlike most other owl’s.
It eats hares and chipmunks so it competes against the eagles and hawks.
Bibliography
1. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=snowyfowlst&btng=search
2. http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=bubo&species=scandiacus
3. http://library.think quest.org/3500/snowy_owl.html
4. http:www.ffdp.ca/hwwz.asp?id=76&cid=7
5. http://www.peregrinefund.org/explore_raptors/owls/snowyowl.html
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