Snowy Owl

Bubo scandiacus

Introduction

A rare (less than annual) visitor from its Arctic breeding grounds, the Snowy Owl is probably best known to many as 'Hedwig' from the Harry Potter films.

A celebrated pair bred for eight years on the Shetland island of Fetlar until 1976, when the male failed to return; one or two females, though, summered every year until 1993.

Key Stats

Status

Very rare

Weight

2.1kg

Seasonality

<1%

BTO Records

1.9k records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

-100% contraction

No data

No current data

500% expansion

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

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This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

Species of European Conservation Concern

Least Concern

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Vulnerable

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

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BOU Category

Source

First Record*

Shetland, 1812

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

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Population trends of this scarce species are not routinely monitored.

Distribution

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A former rare breeder, Snowy Owls have not attempted to breed in Britain & Ireland since 2001. During the 2008–11 breeding seasons a non-breeding adult female was reported from various locations on the west coast of Ireland. In Britain non-breeding birds were reported from various sites, including a male that in the Outer Hebrides, and a female summered in the Channel Islands in 2009

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007 and indicate how widespread a species is.

No. occupied in winter

% occupied in winter

0.4%

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Distribution Change

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Change in occupied 10-km squares in the UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007-11 and indicate by how much occupied areas have expanded or contracted over recent decades.

% change in range in breeding season (1968–72 to 2008–11)

-100 %

% change in range in winter (1981–84 to 2007–11)

500 %

Bird Atlas distribution change maps show how bird distributions have changed through time. Coloured upward-pointing triangles show places apparently colonised over the period; grey downward-pointing triangles show places apparently vacated. Shading show places occupied.

Winter Distribution change for Snowy Owl

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Breeding Distribution change for Snowy Owl

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Seasonality

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There are sporadic records of Snowy Owls throughout the year, mostly in northern and montane areas.

Weekly pattern of occurrence

The graph shows when the species is present in the UK, with taller bars indicating a higher likelihood of encountering the species in appropriate regions and habitats.

Phenology graph — Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about Snowy Owl movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

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View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

Dots show the foreign destinations of birds ringed in Britain & Ireland, and the origins of birds ringed overseas that were subsequently recaptured, resighted or found dead in Britain & Ireland. Dot colours indicate the time of year that the species was present at the location.

Winter (Nov-Feb)
Spring (Mar-Apr)
Summer (May-Jul)
Autumn (Aug-Oct)

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

European movements

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EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for Snowy Owl, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Survival and Longevity

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Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

View number ringed each year in the Online Ringing Report.

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Snowy Owl

Classification and Codes

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Order: Strigiformes
Family: Strigidae
Scientific name: Bubo scandiacus
Authority: Linnaeus, 1758

BTO 2-letter code: SO
BTO 5-letter code: SNOOW
Euring code number: 7490

Alternate species names

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Catalan: duc blanc
Czech: sovice snežní
Danish: Sneugle
Dutch: Sneeuwuil
Estonian: lumekakk
Finnish: tunturipöllö
French: Harfang des neiges
Gaelic: Comhachag-gheal

German: Schneeeule
Hungarian: hóbagoly
Icelandic: Snæugla
Irish: Ulchabhán Sneachtúil
Italian: Gufo delle nevi
Latvian: balta puce
Lithuanian: baltoji peleda
Norwegian: Snøugle

Polish: puchacz sniezny
Portuguese: coruja-das-neves
Slovak: belana tundrová
Slovenian: snežna sova
Spanish: Búho nival
Swedish: fjälluggla
Welsh: Tylluan yr Eira

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

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