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Snowy Owl
Seen Week of December 2-9 at the
end of Windmill Point Road, about 7.5 miles east of White Stone, Virginia.
Standing on a rock on a jetty into the Rappahannock River. Seen at dawn,
midday, and evening. Apparently has been around for several weeks.
Distribution
This nomadic species breeds from northern Alaska
and throughout Canadian Arctic Islands south to coastal west Alaska east
to northeast Manitoba and
north Quebec. Winters from breeding range to
north United States,
sporadically as far south as California and
the Gulf States.
Habitat
Tundra in summer, fields, prairies, marshes and airports in winter.
Nesting
Hummock on bar gravel, may be lined with moss and lichen.
North American Status
Not well understood. Information and surveys
insufficient for establishing
population stability, but local monitoring appears
to show that populations are stable. Apparent decline in northern Europe.
Status and Conservation
Recent policies prohibiting the shooting and
trapping of Snowy Owls have
proved effective. Harvesting of owls by native
peoples is minimal enough that
it has little population-level effects.