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Habitat
Breeding Range
Open tundra from near tree line to the edge of the polar seas. Nests from near sea level to inland mountain slopes, but usually much lower than 300 m elevation as reported by Murie (1929), except in Norway where lemmings occur only on mountains at 1,000+ m (Watson 1957). In North America, the owls prefer high rolling tundra with numerous promontories which serve as perches and nest sites. In low-arctic habitats, the dominant vegetational type is often dense, hummocky dwarf shrub meadow. In high-arctic habitats, the dominant upland plants (willow, saxifrage, heather, lichens) are low, spreading, and often widely dispersed over extensive areas commonly referred to as desert tundra. Owls also use lowland salt grass meadows and poorly drained freshwater wet meadows, especially for hunting.
Spring And Fall Migration
No specific habitat described although the owls are widely believed to prefer open to wooded areas.
Winter Range
Prime winter habitat in the northern Great Plains closely matches the species’ traditional tundra habitat and prey species (Kerlinger et al. 1985). Usually perch on the ground or slight rises, sometimes on buildings, telephone poles, fence posts, or almost any prominent structure designed by humans. Frequently seen in settlements—from small northern villages to the heart of metropolitan centers in the south. Also in marshes and on dunes.
Parmelee, David F. 1992. Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/010
