Snowy Owl

I'm a strong flying solitary hunter; living up to fifteen years in the wild and almost twice that in captivity. I'm one of the world's largest owls. I rule the night, hunting in the bitterly cold, desolate Arctic region. That's my domain. I can also be seen haunting in broad daylight! My intense, large golden eyes is a camera; I see as clear as an Eagle. I mostly swoop down on lemmings, but I also don't spare rabbits, hares, and small birds. I have a harsh intimidating bark when put on the defensive. I migrate south when prey is in short supply. Since there are no trees found on the tundra, I build my nests in a hollow in the ground. And I will protect my nest aggressively against Arctic foxes, wolves; even Polar bears. I'm a force to be reckoned with! My thick feathers keep me warm and insulated in the freezing cold. As a male, my plumage is nearly all white with a few black markings in my feathers. As a female, I have much more, and I'm larger in appearance. I command a large territory to breed. My loud hoots can be heard more than five miles away. I fiercely defend my territory against Invaders, my own kind included! As a female, I'm just as formidable as a male, and I'm equipped with longer talons. I'm quite an intelligent bird of prey. Sometimes I feign injury by crawling on the ground, dragging along my wings to lure a predator away from laid eggs or my young. Let there be no doubt, I'm an owl among owls! Date written: 01/31/2012