Snowy owl

The snowy owl is the largest bird in the Arctic Circle. It breeds in the permanently frozen terrain of the tundra. It prefers rocky terrain, spotting both its prey and its predators from its vantage point, but it also likes to build its nest on small elevations. The male is snow-white, the female white, with dark spots on the top of her head and dark cross-stripes on her underparts. It feeds on lemmings, snowy owls, and other birds. It reacts precisely to fluctuations in the population of its main food source, the lemmings. When food is plentiful, it raises several chicks, while in lean years it skips breeding. Unlike most owls, it rarely hunts at night. It searches for prey during the day, at dawn, and at dusk.