Snowy Owl in Tall Grass, Ocean Shores, Washington

A snowy owl (Nyctea scandiaca) rests in tall grass at Damon Point in Ocean Shores, Washington. Snowy owls, which spend the summer in the northern circumpolar region north of 60 degrees latitude, have a typical winter range that includes Alaska, Canada and northern Eurasia. Every several years, for reasons still unexplained, the snowy owls migrate much farther south in an event known as an irruption. One leading theory is that the snowy owl population grew so fast last summer that they have to spread out more than usual to find food this winter. During the 2011-2012 irruption, Ocean Shores on the Washington coast was the winter home for an especially large number of snowy owls. Snowy owls tend to prefer coastal and plains areas, which most resemble the open tundra that serves as their typical home.

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Contained in galleries: Snowy Owls

A snowy owl (Nyctea scandiaca) rests in tall grass at Damon Point in Ocean Shores, Washington. Snowy owls, which spend the summer in the northern circumpolar region north of 60 degrees latitude, have a typical winter range that includes Alaska, Canada and northern Eurasia. Every several years, for reasons still unexplained, the snowy owls migrate much farther south in an event known as an irruption. One leading theory is that the snowy owl population grew so fast last summer that they have to spread out more than usual to find food this winter. During the 2011-2012 irruption, Ocean Shores on the Washington coast was the winter home for an especially large number of snowy owls. Snowy owls tend to prefer coastal and plains areas, which most resemble the open tundra that serves as their typical home.