What does an owl eat in the tundra. White snowy owl - "snow grandmother". Throughout the long winter, she keeps on deserted, devoid of anything living plains and can starve for a long time without losing her strength. This amazing ability has long been noticed by the people, and from here was born

An owl is a bird of prey, belongs to the order of owls (Strigiformes or Striges), in which 2 families are distinguished:

• owls or true owls (these include the genera of the tawny owl, owls, long-eared owls and scops)
• barn owls (these include the genus barn owl and the genus mask barn owl)

The paws of an owl are very strong and grasping, in many species they are feathered. owl claws sharp and curved, they help her to quickly grab the victim and hold it. The flight of an owl is almost silent, this is due to the special structure of the feathers. The first outer feathers are sawtooth and fringedly serrated. The third and fourth feathers of an owl are longer than the rest. The tail is rounded and clipped, and the tail feathers are bent. The wingspan of an owl is about 142-200 centimeters. These birds fly very fast: the speed of an owl in flight reaches 80 km / h.

The bird makes a characteristic clicking sound when irritated or excited. It turns out this is due to her beak. The beak of an owl is bent from the beginning to the very base, ends with a hook, the edges are even and without cuts.

Owls can turn their heads 180 and even 270 degrees without causing themselves any inconvenience or harm. The owl bird is a predator, and it needs to track down prey, so the eyes are not located on the sides, but in front.

The eyes of an owl are motionless and look only straight ahead. To change the direction of the gaze, the bird needs to turn its head. At the same time, the owl's field of view is 160 degrees, and its vision is binocular, unlike other birds. Owls see the world in black and white. The lens of owls is not in the eyeball, but in the horn tube, so the birds see perfectly at night.

The hearing of an owl is 4 times better than that of. As soon as the prey betrays itself with a rustle or sound, the bird rushes at it with lightning speed.

Types of owls, names and photos

In the owl family, 3 subfamilies, 30 genera and 214 species are distinguished, the most common of which are:

• long-eared owl (Asio otus)

The bird has a length of 31-36 centimeters. The wingspan reaches 86-98 cm. The color of this species of owl is dominated by a gray-brown hue with variegated spots, the chest is white. Dark spots are located on the upper side of the body, transverse stripes stand out on the underside. On the head of a long-eared owl are large ear tufts, which consist of six feathers.

It lives in coniferous forests, prefers European countries or northern Asia as nesting sites, flies to northern Africa for wintering. The long-eared owl feeds on rodents, voles, insects and birds.

• Great Owl ( Strix nebulosa)

A large bird with a length of 80 cm and a wingspan of 1.5 meters. The big-headed bird has a smoky gray color. There are dark stripes around the yellow eyes of an owl.

The owl feeds on rodents and. For nesting, it chooses the nests of hawks and buzzards; it does not build nests itself. The black spot under the bird's beak looks like a beard, hence the name of the bird. The bird does not have feather ears; a white collar is located on the neck. The underside of the wings hides dark stripes.

The gray owl lives in the zone of taiga and mountain forests in the Baltic countries, in the European part of Russia, in Siberia, on Sakhalin, in Mongolia.

• Owl ( Bubo bubo)

It has a length of 60-75 cm, a wingspan of 160-190 cm. The weight of a male owl reaches 2.1-2.7 kg, the weight of females is 3-3.2 kg. The eagle owl is the largest bird in the owl order. The plumage of the predator is dominated by reddish and ocher colors, the owl's eyes are bright orange, and there are bunches of elongated feathers above the eyes.

Eagle owls live in the forests and steppes of Eurasia, prey on rodents, mice, hedgehogs, hares, birds and other vertebrates.

• Sparrow Owl ( Glaucidium passerinum)

The body length of the owl is 15-19 cm, the wingspan reaches 35-40 cm. The weight reaches 55-80 g. At the same time, males are smaller than females. The color of the owl has a gray-brown or dark brown color, white mottles are clearly distinguished on the feathers, larger on the back and small on the head. The bottom of the bird has a white color with longitudinal stripes of a brown hue. The tail is grey-brown with 5 narrow stripes. The head is small and has a round and slightly flattened shape; the owl has no ears. Around the eyes of the pygmy owl are white and brown rings. The eyes of the bird are yellow, there are white eyebrows above the eyes. The claws of the pygmy owl are black or yellow in color. The paws are fully feathered, down to the claws.

• Little owl ( Athene noctua)

A small bird with a length of 25 cm and a weight of about 150-170 g. The color of the plumage of females and males is the same. The back of the bird has a light brown or sand color. Brown longitudinal variegated spots stand out on the white belly of the owl. Round white spots are located on the shoulder feathers.

The little owl lives in the south and in the center of Europe, in the north of Africa and in the southern Asian countries. In Russia, the owl is found mainly in the center and south of the European part, in the Southern Altai and Transbaikalia. Birds live in steppe and desert areas, build nests in stones and burrows. The little owl feeds on insects, lizards, rodents, and sometimes birds.

• barn owl ( Tyto alba)

It differs from other species of owls in its heart-shaped facial disc. The length of the barn owl reaches 34-39 centimeters with a wingspan of 80-95 cm. The weight of a bird of prey is 190-700 grams. The color of the barn owl is red with numerous transverse mottles, stripes and specks. In this case, the color depends on the habitat of the bird. The tail of the bird is short. The barn owl's ears have an unusual asymmetrical arrangement: if the left one is at the level of the forehead, then the right one approaches the nostrils. Thanks to this feature, the bird hears very well.

Barn owl lives on all continents, except for cold Antarctica. In Russia, lives only on the territory of the Kaliningrad region.

• Snowy owl (snowy owl) ( Bubo scandiacus, Nyctea scandiaca)

It has a body length of 55 to 70 cm, the weight of the bird is 2-3 kg. The wingspan reaches 143-166 cm. The color of the bird that lives in the tundra zone serves as a disguise for it, so white colors with dark spots predominate in it. The beak of the snowy owl is black, the eyes are bright yellow. The paws of the predator are completely pubescent.

The polar owl lives in Eurasia, North America, Greenland, on the islands of the Arctic Ocean. The white owl feeds on rodents, lemmings, hares, ermines, white partridges, geese, and fish. White owls are listed in the Red Book.

• hawk owl ( Surnia ulula)

It lives in forest regions in Europe, North America and Asia. In Russia, it is found in Kamchatka, in the Magadan region, in Chukotka, on the coast of the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bOkhotsk. It feeds on rodents (mice, lemmings, voles), sometimes preys on squirrels, hazel grouse, black grouse, partridges and other birds.

The length of the bird reaches 45 cm. The tail of the bird is long, the color is brown-brown with white spots, thin stripes are located at the bottom of the body. The eyes and beak of the hawk owl are yellow.

Where do owls live?

Owls live all over the world, not only in Antarctica. 17 species of owls live in Russia. A large number of these birds can be found in forests, and only a few of them live in open areas.

Basically, the owl lives in hollows and nests. The eagle owl finds a home almost everywhere: in forests, mountains, steppes and deserts. The long-eared owl lives in all kinds of fields, as it hunts in open areas, but it creates its nests only in the forest. The white owl lives in the tundra, flies far to the south in winter, does not like wooded places. The Great Gray Owl lives only in dense taiga forests. Owl species such as barn owl and little owl find a home under roofs and in attics.

What does an owl eat?

The question of what an owl bird eats in nature is of interest to many people. This bird, both in its natural habitat and in captivity, eats rodents, small birds, insects, and animals. The diet depends on the habitat of the owl. Owls of medium and large sizes feed on rats), and birds living in coastal areas eat fish, crabs and mussels. Owls living in tropical countries eat fruits, plants and berries. An owl bird can live for several months without water, quenching its thirst with the blood of its victims.

The snowy owl or snowy owl is a large beautiful bird that lives in the tundra. Females are much larger than males. The body length of the female can reach 70 cm, the wingspan is 165 cm, and the weight is 3 kg.

The male is usually smaller, its body length does not exceed 65 cm, and its weight is not more than 2.5 kg. An adult snowy owl has a beautiful snow-white outfit with small black spots. Since the owl lives in the snowy tundra, this coloring is patronizing for it, and against the backdrop of snowy landscapes, the bird becomes invisible. The paws of an owl are also covered with thick plumage, resembling long hair. The beak is painted black. The eyes are large and bright yellow.

The white owl is a silent bird, most often its voice can be heard during the breeding season. The cries that she makes are reminiscent of loud barking and croaking.

Spreading

The white owl lives in the tundra zone. This bird can be found in the tundra of Eurasia and North America, in Greenland, on islands located in the Arctic Ocean. With the onset of winter, the snowy owl can migrate to the steppe zone and to the forest-tundra, and in the spring it returns to the tundra - its usual habitat. This bird prefers spacious open places and is almost never found in forests.

Lifestyle

The white owl is a bird of prey. She prefers to hunt late in the evening or early in the morning. The owl carefully guards the territory near its nest and never hunts near it. Other birds are aware of this and often settle near the owl's nest, thus finding protection from predators for themselves and their offspring.

An owl can hunt in two ways - it catches up with its prey on the fly or sits on a hillock, looking for suitable prey, and then swiftly attacks it.

The snowy owl has few enemies - mostly foxes, arctic foxes and skuas, which are dangerous because they can climb into an owl's nest and eat eggs.

AT natural conditions the polar owl lives for about 9 years, and in captivity, the lifespan is much longer - up to 28 years.

Nutrition

Most often, owls feed on small rodents, but they can also hunt larger prey - geese, white partridges, ducks, hares, hedgehogs, ermines. The basis of the diet of the snowy owl is lemmings - small mouse-like rodents. According to scientists, one owl eats about 1600 of these animals a year.

The bird swallows small prey whole, and breaks large prey into smaller pieces. An owl can eat carrion if there is no other prey.

reproduction

The white owl breeds chicks once a year. In early spring, owls create a pair, and already in May, the female lays eggs in the nest. A pair can be permanent for several years, or it can be created anew every year.

The nest is most often arranged on some kind of elevation. The owl's nest has a very simple design - it is a shallow hole in the ground, covered with fluff and soft plants.

An owl usually lays five to eight eggs in a nest. But when there is a lot of food, it can lay 16 eggs. The owl does not lay eggs immediately, but gradually - one at a time. The female incubates the eggs for a little over a month - from 32 to 34 days. All this time, the male takes care of her, bringing food to the nest. Owlets hatch from eggs in turn - one owlet per day. When several owlets are born, the owl begins to leave the nest, flying away to hunt. During the absence of an owl, older owlets warm the younger chicks and eggs, from which the chicks have not yet hatched. When the owls are 51-57 days old, they begin to fly.

The white owl is the symbol of the Canadian province of Quebec.

The coat of arms of the city of Norilsk depicts a white owl.

The famous fairy-tale character of Harry Potter had a snowy owl. She delivered letters to the boy from Hogwarts school and from friends.

Brief information about the snowy owl.

(Bubo scandiacus, Nyctea scandiaca in Latin), also known as the snowy owl, is a bird in the owl family. It is the largest representative of this family and the largest raptor of the Arctic Circle.

Description of the polar owl

It should be noted that female snowy owls are larger and heavier than males. The height of the body is: for males - 54-66 cm, for females - 60-70 cm. The weight of owls: male - 2.1-2.5 kilograms, females - up to 3 kilograms. The wingspan ranges from 140 to 175 centimeters.

The special structure of the feathers, which creates turbulence, allows you to make silent flights.

The color of the plumage is protective, that is, protective. This type of coloration makes the snowy owl almost invisible against the background. natural environment habitat, which is a passive form of protection from predators and camouflage while hunting. The plumage of chicks is brown, in adult owls it is white with brown spots scattered throughout the body, sometimes with brown stripes, of a transverse arrangement. Females have more brown spots than males. Some of the males are completely white. The plumage pattern of each individual is unique, like human fingerprints.

Paws of snowy owls have dense shaggy plumage and large black claws. The beak is hook-shaped, black, covered with fine bristles and practically hidden under the head plumage. The head is spherical, with small inconspicuous ears. Able to rotate 270 degrees, which allows you to see in three dimensions. The small size of the ears does not prevent snowy owls from having excellent hearing. They are able to hear sounds with a frequency of 2 Hertz.

The eyes are round, various shades of yellow. Visual acuity is several tens of times higher than that of humans. A group of biologists studying snowy owls conducted a series of experiments and got stunning results. These predator birds are able to detect prey in the weak light of a candle, at a distance from it in the region of 350 meters. Such excellent vision allows owls to successfully hunt during the polar night.

Beak and eyes of a snowy owl.

Polar owls molt 2 times a year - at the beginning of summer and at the end of autumn. Fully winter plumage appears by the end of November. Young growth puts on its first adult plumage at the junction of September and October.

Lives: in nature, on average 10 years, in captivity - up to 30.

Where does the snowy owl live

Biologists refer to the habitat of the snowy owl as circumpolar, that is, it includes the Arctic zones of both hemispheres. It lives in the tundra zones of the Eurasian and North American continents, on the islands of Greenland, Wrangel, Novaya Zemlya, Kolguev, Bering and other Arctic islands. Polar owls winter to the south, reaching the zone of deciduous forests during the flight. For wintering, he chooses open areas, rarely flies into settlements. They move for wintering at the end of September and stay there until the end of March. Sometimes owls stay for the winter, where they nest, preferring areas with a thin layer of ice or snow. In spring, snowy owls return to the Arctic to breed and hatch chicks.

The polar owl belongs to partially sedentary birds. Sometimes it roams, which depends on the thickness of the snow cover, the abundance of hunting grounds and other conditions.

Hunting and prey

The polar owl is an intelligent and agile hunter. The main prey are lemmings. It also preys on: pikas, hedgehogs, hares, ermines, other arctic birds, fox cubs. Often does not disdain seafood, bird eggs and carrion.

Russian name- Snowy Owl, Snowy Owl
Latin name- Bubo scandiacus
English name- Snowy owl
Class- Birds (Aves)
Detachment- Owls (Strigiformes)
Family- Owls (Strigidae)
Genus- Owls (Bubo)

Initially, the species was isolated in a separate genus Nyctea, but at the moment taxonomists include it in the genus Bubo (Owls).

conservation status

In general, it is not numerous, in some places it is a common species, it is included in Appendix II of the CITES Convention (International Convention on Trade in Wild Animals and Plants). There is no global threat of extinction.

Appearance

One of the largest owls, almost the size of an eagle owl: body length reaches 56–65 cm, wingspan 150–160 cm, body weight 780–2950 g (moreover, females are larger than males). Adult birds are painted snow-white with brownish streaks of various sizes or with brown transverse stripes. Males are usually lighter than females, sometimes completely white. The iris of the eyes is bright yellow; beak, almost completely covered with bristle-like, forward-facing feathers, black; claws are black. In the first annual plumage, these owls are white with a brown transverse pattern and with brown speckles on the back of the head.

One of the largest owls

One of the largest owls

One of the largest owls

One of the largest owls

Spreading

Snowy owls have a circumpolar distribution and are very characteristic of the Arctic and Subarctic regions of Eurasia and North America. They inhabit oceanic islands, coasts, continental tundras, and arctic deserts. These are partly sedentary, but mostly nomadic birds. Their migrations are irregular and depend on local conditions - snow cover, availability and abundance of food, etc.
Lifestyle and social organization
The white owl is predominantly diurnal, but still prefers to hunt in the early morning or late afternoon. During the polar summer, she can hunt at any time of the day.

In the breeding season, a pair of owls occupies an area of ​​1 to 6 km², depending on the abundance of food. When a predator appears, owls begin to attack it already at a distance of 1 km from the nest.

During wanderings, they do not gather in flocks, moving in small groups, in pairs, or singly.

Diet and feeding behavior

The food of snowy owls is mainly made up of mouse-like rodents - Norwegian, Ob ​​and ungulate lemmings, voles and ground squirrels. The number of lemmings determines the course of the main periodic phenomena in the life of snowy owls - breeding, migration, seasonal accommodation, etc.

Owls also feed during the period of feeding chicks and birds, mainly young ones - white partridges, waders, gulls, ducklings, small passerines. In non-breeding times, the food of snowy owls is more diverse: hares, pikas, small birds of prey (ermine), birds of medium size (chickens, ducks), sometimes fish, frogs, crustaceans and beetles.

Snowy owls lie in wait for prey, sitting on a hill or flying low over the tundra in a leisurely flight. Sometimes they hunt on the fly, fluttering at the same time in one place in the air, like a kestrel, they can grab birds from the surface of the water. The owl swallows small prey whole, large - first it breaks into pieces.

Vocalization

The voice is a sonorous and sharp cry “ki-ki-ki”, as well as a sound like “crow-au”, reminiscent of croaking. The mating call of the male is low and deaf, but far audible barking cries, repeated several times in a row: “howe .... howe ....”, the female has a low and deaf “hoo ...”. When disturbed at the nest, the male utters abrupt and deaf cries - “hhav” or “khhuv” and laughs “ha-ha-ha”, the female makes a dull series of calls “hek-hek-hek” or a short croaking-hissing cry. The fledglings whistle loudly and hoarsely.

reproduction

Snowy owls nest on mounds, dry slopes, ledges of coastal cliffs. They avoid swampy flat tundra, preferring hilly or even rugged relief with streams and rivulets. Egg-laying begins when the area is still covered with snow, in mid to late May. As such, snowy owls do not build nests, and lay their eggs directly on the ground in a hole, without any lining.

Usually, there are 4–7 eggs in a clutch, however, in years that are unfavorable in terms of feeding conditions, there are only 3–4 eggs, and in favorable years, up to 11–13 eggs. The female incubates the clutch for 32–34 days, the male brings food to her, and then to the brood, and actively protects the nest. Since snowy owls lay eggs at two-day intervals, and incubation begins with the first egg, the chicks in the nest often differ markedly in age and size: the older ones already fledge when the younger ones hatch. As a rule, only older chicks survive, and in low-feed years they can even kill and eat their younger brothers.

The surviving owlets become winged at the age of 51–57 days. By the time the chicks begin to fly away, a roll of half-eaten carcasses of lemmings often forms around the nest. The number of chicks and the success of breeding depend on the abundance of rodents (mainly lemmings). In "non-mouse" years, owls may not breed at all or move for nesting thousands of kilometers to areas with a more prosperous food situation.

Lifespan

In nature up to 15 years, in captivity up to 30 years.

History of Life at the Zoo

Snowy owls are constantly represented in the zoo. Birds are obtained mainly from nature. They live in pairs: if you plant an additional separate bird to a pair of owls, then the pair will try to kill it as an unnecessary competitor. The owl enclosure is located in the New Territory between the otter and polar bear enclosures. For many years, our couple successfully nested and brought out children. Our snowy owls fed the chicks themselves, without the help of the zoo staff.
We feed mice to snowy owls once a day.

The snowy owl is also known as the "white owl" for its characteristic white plumage. This bird belongs to the owl family and is the largest representative of its kind. She lives at the North Pole and is a formidable predator. What is her lifestyle like? What does she eat and what does she look like? This will be discussed in detail below.

Description of the white owl

snowy owls are large birds. By the way, females here are always larger than males, their body size is 60-70 cm, while males reach a maximum size of 65 cm maximum. The same is true with weight: the female weighs about 3 kg, and the male - a maximum of 2.5 kg. The average wingspan is approximately 1.5 m, but to be more precise, from 140 cm to 175 cm.

The polar owl hunts completely silently, as it has a special structure of feathers with swirls, due to which its flight is almost inaudible, which is why it is dangerous for small rodents and other animals.

bird color

As befits such birds, the color of the snowy owl corresponds to its habitat, in science this is called "patronizing" color. In terms of colors, it fully corresponds to the surrounding nature and performs a protective function. Thanks to this, the snowy owl can not only deftly disguise itself and hide against defenders, but also be almost invisible to its prey during the hunt.

The color of the feathers depends on the age of the bird:

• chicks are always brown;
• adults have predominantly white plumage with brown speckles, sometimes stripes.

By the way, females have more brown spots than males. This is another distinguishing gender trait besides weight and size. And some of the males can be completely white, without any inclusions.

The pattern on the feathers of the snowy owl is unique for each individual. The outlines of brown specks are as unique as human fingerprints.

The plumage of the polar owl is also present on the paws and on the head, it almost completely hides the sharp beak of this bird.

The characteristic appearance of the snowy owl

Now we need to take a closer look on the external characteristics of this feathered. The beak of such an owl is hook-shaped, it is very sharp and covered with fine bristles. It is completely covered with feathers on the muzzle of a bird, so it is practically invisible under them.

white owl head wide and round, there are almost imperceptible small ears, which, however, does not interfere with hearing their prey even at great distances (these owls are able to pick up sound with a frequency of 2 Hz). This bird can turn its head 270 degrees, allowing it to view in three dimensions.

The eyes of this bird also round, always yellow, although the shade itself may vary. Snowy owls have very sharp eyesight, they see 4 times better than cats and 10 times better than humans. Thanks to this vision, these birds can successfully hunt even in very low light. Ornithologists conducted an experiment that brought amazing results: a snowy owl was able to find its prey, which was 350 m away from it, while there was no light in the room, only an ordinary candle was burning weakly. Here one can easily conclude that it is not difficult for this bird to hunt even in the conditions of the polar night.

The Snowy Owl sheds twice a year, shedding old plumage in early summer and late autumn. By the end of November, it is completely covered with new white feathers. Young chicks acquire their first feathers around the end of September or early October.

The lifespan of such a bird depends entirely on its habitat, for example, in the wild northern nature, it lives for about 10 years. In captivity, for example, in nurseries and zoos, snowy owls can live up to 30 years.

Habitat

This bird lives in the arctic zones of both hemispheres of the planet Earth, in addition, it can often be found in the tundra of Eurasia and North America, as well as in Greenland, on Bering Island, Novaya Zemlya, Wrangel, Kolguev and other Arctic territories. For wintering, these birds choose open areas near the zone of deciduous forests; they very rarely fly into populated areas. The entire wintering period lasts from late September to early March, and in the spring the owls return to the Arctic to breed chicks.

The snowy owl is a sedentary bird, but sometimes it can wander if the number of prey in its habitat is reduced or the thickness of the snow cover exceeds the allowable norms.

Hunting

The bird preys mainly on lemmings, which belong to rodents from the family of hamsters, as well as to hares, fox cubs, hedgehogs and stoats. Often, snowy owls prey on other northern birds, do not disdain seafood and sometimes even carrion.

These birds never hunt near their nests, flying away for prey over decent distances. An adult bird requires an average of 4 rodents per day.

This northern bird menacingly protects its nest within a radius of 1 km, and, by the way, that is why seagulls build their nests next to it, which feel completely safe next to owls.

The hunting process is in the following way: The bird stalks its prey in the open area by soaring in the sky, then tracks it down and dives and grabs the prey with its sharp claws.

How snowy owls breed and nest

As mentioned above, in this species, the mating season begins in early spring, in March, when they return from wintering. Males occupy the territory they like and begin to announce it with a loud cry. D What follows is a series of actions:

These birds create permanent pairs, hatching chicks annually, but sometimes they converge for only one year. Nests are arranged on small hills and hills, but sometimes they can choose lowlands. The nest itself is a small depression, the bottom of which is covered with moss, dry grass and bird fluff.

The female lays up to 8 eggs, hatching them for 1 month, meanwhile the male himself hunts and gets food. Owlets hatch gradually, one after another, but, as a rule, the youngest often die. When all the chicks hatch, the female herself begins to fly out to hunt, while her offspring bask in the nest, tightly clinging to each other. After 50 days, they can already fly independently.

Snowy owl population

These birds represent a small population, they mainly live on Wrangel Island. Birds are of great importance for nature, as they support a stable population of northern rodents and provide security to other birds, protecting the territory from predators.