Snowy Owl
Harfang des neiges
ENGLISH
The snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) is a large, white owl of the true owl family. It is sometimes also referred to, more infrequently, as the polar owl, white owl and the Arctic owl. Snowy owls are native to the Arctic regions of both North America and the Palearctic, breeding mostly on the tundra. It has a number of unique adaptations to its habitat and lifestyle, which are quite distinct from other extant owls. One of the largest species of owl, it is the only owl with largely white plumage. Males tend to be a purer white overall while females tend to more have more extensive flecks of dark brown. Juvenile male snowy owls have dark markings that may appear similar to females until maturity, at which point they typically turn whiter. The composition of brown markings about the wing, although not foolproof, is the most reliable technique to age and sex individual snowy owls.
Most owls sleep during the day and hunt at night, but the snowy owl is often active during the day, especially in the summertime. The snowy owl is both a specialized and generalist hunter. Its breeding efforts and entirely global population are closely tied to the availability of tundra-dwelling lemmings but in the non-breeding season and occasionally during breeding the snowy owl can adapt to almost any available prey, most often other small mammals and northerly water birds (as well as, opportunistically, carrion). Snowy owls typically nest on a small rise on the ground of the tundra. The snowy owl lays a very large clutch of eggs, often from about 5 to 11, with the laying and hatching of eggs considerably staggered. Despite the short Arctic summer, the development of the young takes a relatively long time and independence is sought in autumn.
The snowy owl is a nomadic bird, rarely breeding at the same locations or with the same mates on an annual basis and often not breeding at all if prey is unavailable. A largely migatory bird, snowy owls often wandering almost anywhere close to the Arctic sometimes unpredictably irrupting to the south in large numbers. Given the difficulty of surveying such an unpredictable bird, there was little in depth knowledge historically about the snowy owl's status. However, recent data suggests the species is declining precipitously. Whereas the global population was once estimate at over 200,000 individuals, recent data suggests that there are probably fewer than 100,000 individuals globally and that the number of successful breeding pairs is 28,000 or even considerably less. While the causes are not well-understood, numerous, complex environment factors often correlated with global warming are probably at the forefront of the fragility of the snowy owl's existence.
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FRANÇAIS
Le Harfang des neiges (Bubo scandiacus) est une espèce d'oiseau de la famille des strigidés. Il est aussi appelé ookpik par les Inuits. Il est l'emblème aviaire du Québec depuis 19871,2. En France, on l'appelle Harfang, même si, en réalité, il appartient au même genre Bubo que les hiboux grand-ducs. Comme ces derniers, il possède de petites plumes sur sa tête appelées aigrettes, mais très peu visibles puisqu'elles sont très petites et repliées sur sa tête.
Ce grand oiseau blanc aux yeux jaunes est très reconnaissable. Le mâle est d'un blanc pur alors que la femelle et les jeunes sont légèrement tachetés ou barrés de brun. Leur plumage blanchit avec l'âge, les mâles pouvant alors devenir d'un blanc immaculé. L'été, le plumage est plus foncé que l'hiver, le plumage est plus blanc l'hiver pour se camoufler dans la neige. Les mâles sont en général plus petits que les femelles. Leur envergure est de 170 à 177 cm pour les femelles adultes et de 160 à 170 cm pour les mâles adultes. Leur masse varie de 1 à 2,5 kg.
Le harfang est un très grand oiseau, pouvant atteindre jusqu'à 70 cm de longueur. Ses yeux sont très grands proportionnellement à sa taille : en effet, ils ont environ la même taille que ceux d'un homme. Ils sont d'une couleur jaune et disposés vers l'avant. De plus, ils sont fixes, ce qui oblige le harfang à devoir souvent tourner sa large tête aplatie pour pouvoir regarder autour de lui (il peut la tourner d'un angle de 270°)
Source: Wikipedia
Snowy Owl
Harfang des neiges
ENGLISH
The snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) is a large, white owl of the true owl family. It is sometimes also referred to, more infrequently, as the polar owl, white owl and the Arctic owl. Snowy owls are native to the Arctic regions of both North America and the Palearctic, breeding mostly on the tundra. It has a number of unique adaptations to its habitat and lifestyle, which are quite distinct from other extant owls. One of the largest species of owl, it is the only owl with largely white plumage. Males tend to be a purer white overall while females tend to more have more extensive flecks of dark brown. Juvenile male snowy owls have dark markings that may appear similar to females until maturity, at which point they typically turn whiter. The composition of brown markings about the wing, although not foolproof, is the most reliable technique to age and sex individual snowy owls.
Most owls sleep during the day and hunt at night, but the snowy owl is often active during the day, especially in the summertime. The snowy owl is both a specialized and generalist hunter. Its breeding efforts and entirely global population are closely tied to the availability of tundra-dwelling lemmings but in the non-breeding season and occasionally during breeding the snowy owl can adapt to almost any available prey, most often other small mammals and northerly water birds (as well as, opportunistically, carrion). Snowy owls typically nest on a small rise on the ground of the tundra. The snowy owl lays a very large clutch of eggs, often from about 5 to 11, with the laying and hatching of eggs considerably staggered. Despite the short Arctic summer, the development of the young takes a relatively long time and independence is sought in autumn.
The snowy owl is a nomadic bird, rarely breeding at the same locations or with the same mates on an annual basis and often not breeding at all if prey is unavailable. A largely migatory bird, snowy owls often wandering almost anywhere close to the Arctic sometimes unpredictably irrupting to the south in large numbers. Given the difficulty of surveying such an unpredictable bird, there was little in depth knowledge historically about the snowy owl's status. However, recent data suggests the species is declining precipitously. Whereas the global population was once estimate at over 200,000 individuals, recent data suggests that there are probably fewer than 100,000 individuals globally and that the number of successful breeding pairs is 28,000 or even considerably less. While the causes are not well-understood, numerous, complex environment factors often correlated with global warming are probably at the forefront of the fragility of the snowy owl's existence.
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FRANÇAIS
Le Harfang des neiges (Bubo scandiacus) est une espèce d'oiseau de la famille des strigidés. Il est aussi appelé ookpik par les Inuits. Il est l'emblème aviaire du Québec depuis 19871,2. En France, on l'appelle Harfang, même si, en réalité, il appartient au même genre Bubo que les hiboux grand-ducs. Comme ces derniers, il possède de petites plumes sur sa tête appelées aigrettes, mais très peu visibles puisqu'elles sont très petites et repliées sur sa tête.
Ce grand oiseau blanc aux yeux jaunes est très reconnaissable. Le mâle est d'un blanc pur alors que la femelle et les jeunes sont légèrement tachetés ou barrés de brun. Leur plumage blanchit avec l'âge, les mâles pouvant alors devenir d'un blanc immaculé. L'été, le plumage est plus foncé que l'hiver, le plumage est plus blanc l'hiver pour se camoufler dans la neige. Les mâles sont en général plus petits que les femelles. Leur envergure est de 170 à 177 cm pour les femelles adultes et de 160 à 170 cm pour les mâles adultes. Leur masse varie de 1 à 2,5 kg.
Le harfang est un très grand oiseau, pouvant atteindre jusqu'à 70 cm de longueur. Ses yeux sont très grands proportionnellement à sa taille : en effet, ils ont environ la même taille que ceux d'un homme. Ils sont d'une couleur jaune et disposés vers l'avant. De plus, ils sont fixes, ce qui oblige le harfang à devoir souvent tourner sa large tête aplatie pour pouvoir regarder autour de lui (il peut la tourner d'un angle de 270°)
Source: Wikipedia