Hailing from the Arctic

A snowy owl displays its wings after leaving a post east of Provost. Executive director for New York City Audubon, Kathryn Heintz told The News that the arctic species bird’s wingspan can reach up to four to four and three quarters feet wide and sharp talons are used to grab prey which often dies from blood loss or suffocation. The snowy owl eats mostly lemmings, between three and five a day “which in a good year, there will be ample of food for owlets. That can cause an irruption, leading to a lot of sightings farther south than usual during winter as a larger number of younger owls fly farther to find wintering grounds. A bad year for lemmings will lead to fewer surviving owlets.” According to the Cornell Lab, the white birds are “one of the most agile owls, able to catch small birds on the fly” and on breeding and wintering grounds, their diet ranges from rodents, rabbits, hares, squirrels, weasels, wading birds, seabirds, ducks, grebes and geese. The International Union for Conservation of Nature downgraded the snowy owl’s status to ‘vulnerable’ in October 2017, which is one step above ‘endangered.’ The birds nest in the arctic and while some remain in that area, many migrate southward during winter in search of food. In winter, they are seen in Canada (leaving early April), northern U.S.A., northeast coastal U.S.A., northern Europe, northern Russia and northern Asia. Heintz adds that “Seeing one of these iconic birds is an exciting experience.” She saw her first wild snowy owl recently at the Shinnecock East County Park—in dunes by the Atlantic Ocean on Long Island, NY. “Several dozen people showed up to watch in awe. A handful of nature, bird photographers were heavily bundled up, clearly planning to spend hours motionless to capture the perfect image.” ©Provost News Photo.
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