1. The Sassy, Smart, Sneaky, Strong, Sophisticated and Oh So Special, Snowy Owl
By Claudia DeArment

2. Taxonomy Kingdom: Animalia (Animal)
Phylum: Chordata (Internal skeleton)
Class: Aves (bird)
Order: Strigiformes
Family: Strigidae
Genus: Bubo
Species: Scandiaca

3. Habitat
In North America, Snowy Owls are found during the breeding season from the western Aleutians in Alaska to the northeastern Manitoba, northern Quebec and northern Labrador in Canada

4. Adaptation
Though Snowy Owls have few predators, the adults are very watchful and are equipped to defend against any kind of threat towards them or their offspring. Males defend the nest by standing guard nearby while the female incubates the eggs and broods the young. Both attack approaching predators, dive bombing them and engaging in distractions displays to draw the predator away from the nest.

5. Diet
Snowy Owls mainly eat mammals ranging from small rodents such as lemmings to large hares.

6. Fun Facts It is a myth that owls turn their head around 360 degrees
Owls have 14 neck vertebrate allowing them to turn their head 270 degrees
Owls eyes look forward in a fixed position and cannot move from side to side as the human eye can

7. “A Day in the Life”
Today when I got up from my nest it was quite dark and cold. I am nocturnal but you never know when I am up in the day. I am a Snowy Owl. I was pretty hungry so this was the perfect time for me to get some food. I can see the food but the food cannot see me, not until it is too late that is. I like to eat fish (when I can find them), squirrels, rabbits, rodents (or lemmings), birds, even large mammals like gophers and foxes. I can swallow my food whole then poop or vomit out the bones, gross but true. I do not worry about predators because I don’t have many. When I go home I have to be sneaky. My home can blend in with the trees but I can be caught getting there.