State 34 - North Dakota
Dakota Zoo - Bismarck, ND
Not much info available in ND. The zoo is the only thing I found, and most of their photos are showing off their work with bald eagles.
By federal law, all raptors are the property of the US Fish & Wildlife Service, and the Dakota Zoo assists with veterinary care and rehabilitation on a permitted basis. USFWS has been instrumental in providing informational exhibits, flight pens and holding pens that greatly aid the Zoo in providing proper care for injured birds and displaying them in a comfortable area.
While we enjoy having raptors on exhibit and being able to educate Zoo visitors about them, it is a far better feeling when we are able to rehabilitate and return a recovered bird back into the wild.
What a handsome guy.
I think it’s a handsome lady. They didn’t say in the post, so I can’t be sure.
When they’re adults, the males start losing their spots and get a bigger white streak (bib) on their chest. The number of tail stripes seems a reliable way to ID the sex, but we can’t see that here. Makes also tend to have spotting that is more dark brown than black.
Cornell has a good guide on snowy owl identification that had guys comparisons of a few specimens. They’re preserved museum specimens, if that bothers anyone before they click on them link.
I feared I might’ve been on thin ice assuming it was a he.
Thanks for the additional info, very interesting :)
I’m sure it took no offense. 😉
I just learned about the color differences not too long ago myself. I just assumed they were whiter up north where or when it was colder or snowier to blend in.
Snowy Owl feet are covered with feathers to keep their feet insulated.
Omg, so cute but deadly.
Absolutely!
Most owls have fuzzy legs, but only the ones where it’s extra cold have fuzzy feet. So some owls that are over a large span of latitudes like barred owls can have fuzzy or bare feet.
Another view of the pokey bits.
