Owls of Ohio - Ohio Department of Natural Resources

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D i e t snowy owlOn their Arctic tundra breeding grounds, snowyowls are intimately associated with lemmings, which aresmall mouse-like mammals. An adult owl that remains onthe tundra year-round might consume as many as 1,600lemmings in a year.Owls that move south into Ohio in winter switch to otherprey, as lemmings are not found this far south. Snowy owlsin Ohio probably consume lots of ducks of various species, aswell as other birds like gulls. Depending on the habitat andfood availability, they will also take many small mammals likemeadow voles and even Norway rats in urban areas.N e s ting snowy owlDoes not nest in Ohio; breeds in open tundra far to thenorth. Nest is little more than a scrape on the ground, usuallyan elevated windswept knoll that offers good sightlines in alldirections.Vo c aliz ati o n s snowy owlNormally silent in winter, and unlikely to be heard in Ohio.Territorial males on breeding rounds emit spectacular boominghoots. Both sexes give a barking sound, and females will alsogive plaintive whistles.I nter e s ting Fac t s snowy owl This is the heaviest North American owl; females can weighas much as 6 ½ pounds. Snowy Owls stage periodic “irruptions” in winter; someyears many more owls go south than other years. Thesemovements are thought to correlate with shortages oftheir primary prey, lemmings.Photo by: © W. Greene / VIREO
C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 47 Recognizable reproductions of snowy owls can be foundin prehistoric cave art dating back several thousandyears, indicating a fascination with this impressivebird going back to ancient civilizations. In recent times, snowy owls are in the public eye asHedwig, Harry Potter’s pet owl, is of this species.Tips fo r Fi n d i n g a S n ow y OwlThe numbers of snowy owls present in Ohio canvary greatly from winter to winter. Because they areeasily found and of great interest, birders generallyknow where they are and word spreads throughbirding grapevines. Tried and true locales are LakeErie harbors such as at Conneaut,Lorain, and Fairport Harbor. Lookfor snowy owls perched on the stonebreakwalls out in the lake. BurkeLakefront Airport in Clevelandoften has owls.owl snowy owl snowy owl snowy owl snowy owl snowy owl snowy owl snowy owl snowy owl snowy owl snowy owl snowywl snowy owl snowy owl snowy owl snowy owl snowy owl snowy owl snowynowy owl snowy owl snowy owl snowy owl snowy owl snowy owl snowy owl snowy owl snowy owy owl nowy owlRange acrossNorth AmericaBreedingWinteringYear-roundWinteringdistributionvery scarce southof Lake Erie
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Page 7 and 8: M o d i fi ed Fe ath er s owl morph
Page 9 and 10: Pelle t s an d W h ite wa s h findi
Page 11 and 12: Ab o u t this Bookle t and CD owls
Page 13 and 14: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 13O
Page 15 and 16: y people placing nest boxes in barn
Page 17 and 18: BTRACKS7-12arred owlStrix varia (St
Page 19 and 20: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 19D
Page 21 and 22: Eastern screech-owlMegascops asio (
Page 23 and 24: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 23N
Page 25 and 26: Great horned owlBubo virginianus (B
Page 27 and 28: Normally solitary except during the
Page 29 and 30: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 29T
Page 31 and 32: O h i o S tat u s l o ng - e a re d
Page 33 and 34: N e s ting long - e a re d o w lLon
Page 35 and 36: Northern saw-whet owlAegolius acadi
Page 37 and 38: likely. When one is found, a very c
Page 39 and 40: Short-eared owlAsio flammeus (Ay-se
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Page 43 and 44: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 43i
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Page 49 and 50: Like the Northern hawk owl and grea
Page 51 and 52: This is one of North America’s mo
Page 53 and 54: This is the smallest owl in the wor
Page 55 and 56: This small owl has a broad but spot
Page 57 and 58: This species has become a symbol of
Page 59 and 60: O T H E R N O R T H A M E R I C A N
Page 61 and 62: Publication FundingFunding for this
Page 63 and 64: A ppa l achi a n Fron tAu du bon So

Owls of Ohio - Ohio Department of Natural Resources

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