Snowy Owl, the white terror of the North is biologically known as Bubo scandiacus which is a large, diurnal white owl with a rounded head, yellow eyes and black bill. In many parts of the world, the snowy owl is called with different names like the Arctic Owl, Great White Owl, Harfang, Ghost Owl, Ermine Owl, Tundra Ghost, Ookpik etc.

Snowy owl ( Stephen Oachs Image )

 The Snowy Owl is a bird of Arctic tundra or open grasslands and fields. They are hardly seen in the forested areas. They love to dwell along lakeshores, marine coastlines, marshes, and even roost on buildings in cities and towns. In the Arctic, they normally roost on pingaluks (rises in the tundra) and breed from low valley floors up to mountain slopes and plateaus over 1,000 meters (3,000 feet) in elevation. The population of the snowy owl is widespread almost in the whole arctic regions and North America. In Canada, the snowy owl is the official bird of Quebec.

Snowy owl with magnificent flight ( James R. Page's Image )

The Snowy Owl is a strictly nomadic bird and it is considered a species of least concern. The average length of the snowy owl is about 20–28 inches, with a 49–59 inches wingspan. Similarly the snowy owl can weigh anywhere from 1.6 to 3 kilograms so in this way it is one of the largest and heaviest species of owl. Their vocalization includes krek-krek; the female also has a softer mewling pyee-pyee or prek-prek. But they can also chirp in various ways.

A pair of snowy owls ( A winnu image )

The Snowy Owl may eat small mammals like hares, squirrels, rats, rodents, marmots, songbirds and gulls. The average quantity of the diet of the Snowy Owl is roughly 7 to 12 mice per day to meet its food requirement and can eat more than 1,600 lemmings per year. The Snowy Owl is also called the white terror of the North and they were specifically a part of the ancient myths and legends. Because of their marvelous way of hunting, the snowy owl was a symbol of chivalry.