Living in the Baltic Sea

Age
9 years old
Record size & age
68,5 cm / 2,1 kg and 35 years old in captivity.
Habitat
The Snowy Owl lives in couples and prefers open areas in arctic regions. Their white coloring is an excellent camouflage in the snow. During winter the migrate south to prairies, marshes or shorelines. An occasional visitor to the northern Baltic Sea area.
Food
Their favorite foods are lemmels but small mammals, fish and birds are also on the menu. They are able to catch their prey on the ground, in the air and on the water surface. The prey is swallowed whole. Strong stomach acids digest the flesh and the indigestible bones, teeth, fur and other parts are being regurgitated 18-24 hours after feeding.

Reproduction
Age: 2 years old
Season: May
Number of eggs: 5-14

Breeding takes place above the tree-line in bare mountain regions. The eggs are laid in a hole in the ground or in an abandoned eagle nest one at a time, about every other day over the course of several days. Males defend the nest while the female broods the eggs. Calls can be heard up to 10 km away when protecting its territory. The eggs hatch after about 5 weeks,and the chicks enter the world pure white and are cared for by both parents. Both parents attack approaching predators, creating distraction to draw intruders away from the nest.

Human impact and Status
Habitat loss, collisions with power lines, fences, cars and other man made structures in their natural habitat are some of the most serious threats to the Snowy Owl. Their numbers of have declined as a result of previous persecution and hunting. This species is extremely important in the food chain, and play an important role of the natural control of rodents in agricultural regions. As top predators of their food chain, they are an indicator species of the overall health of the ecosystem in which they live. The species is now protected and all hunting and killing is prohibited. CLOSE