Snowy Owl | National Geographic

snowy owls are the only birds of prey

snowy owls are the only birds of prey hardy enough to live in the Arctic

hardy enough to live in the Arctic

hardy enough to live in the Arctic year-round they rely heavily on one

year-round they rely heavily on one

year-round they rely heavily on one major source of food lemmings and when

major source of food lemmings and when

major source of food lemmings and when lemmings are plentiful the male hunts

lemmings are plentiful the male hunts

lemmings are plentiful the male hunts whenever the weather allows

they store body fat for when lemmings

they store body fat for when lemmings are scarce and can go 40 days between

are scarce and can go 40 days between

are scarce and can go 40 days between meals if the lemming population plummets

meals if the lemming population plummets

meals if the lemming population plummets snowy’s may not even attempt to raise

snowy’s may not even attempt to raise

snowy’s may not even attempt to raise young

but if lemmings are plentiful as they

but if lemmings are plentiful as they are this year

are this year

are this year the owl’s may raise large broods when

the owl’s may raise large broods when

the owl’s may raise large broods when the weather holds fair the male owl

the weather holds fair the male owl

the weather holds fair the male owl hunts around the clock

he builds a stockpile of prey as a

he builds a stockpile of prey as a reserve for times when fog or rain makes

reserve for times when fog or rain makes

reserve for times when fog or rain makes hunting much more difficult and each day

hunting much more difficult and each day

hunting much more difficult and each day his voracious offspring devour a couple

his voracious offspring devour a couple

his voracious offspring devour a couple of lemmings apiece they must build their

of lemmings apiece they must build their

of lemmings apiece they must build their strength quickly mortality for owlets

strength quickly mortality for owlets

strength quickly mortality for owlets can run as high as 50%

those that do survive must hunt for

those that do survive must hunt for themselves after only a few months like

themselves after only a few months like

themselves after only a few months like their parents they will soon take to the

their parents they will soon take to the

their parents they will soon take to the air soaring over the tundra with silent

air soaring over the tundra with silent

air soaring over the tundra with silent deadly