The owls on display are British bred and are imprinted on humans.
This means that they aren't aware that they would be nocturnal in
nature. So although; like some humans I'm sure you know, they can
be grumpy at having to get up in the morning, generally they will
happily conduct life through daylight hours just as the majority of
folk do.
Snowy
Owl Nyetea scandiaca
Habitat
and Distribution: Arctic areas round the northern hemisphere.
Their local distribution is governed by the availability of prey.
During the winter the birds move south and several are recorded
in Scotland most years. During the 1970s a pair bred on Fetlar (Shetlands),
rearing several chicks, all female. Because of the absence of a
male the species never became established.
Food:
All sorts of small mammals, mainly lemmings and Arctic hares and
some birds, the nestlings of quails, terns, ptarmigan and sea birds.
In captivity they are fed on dead. day-old chicks (surplus to requirements
at hatcheries where only females are reared for commercial purposes).
Lifespan:
At least thirty years, possibly forty or fifty years. However, owls,
being predators, suffer accidents. Even a cut on a foot from a rodent
bit can be fatal if it becomes infected so the bird cannot hunt.
Appearance:
Very large and white. The females and juveniles are darker, with
more of the mottled marking. When crouched on the ground, these
birds closely resemble the pale, lichen-covered rocks which bespeckle
the Arctic.
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