Bird
Snowy Owl
Bubo scandiacus
Best Time Winter (Jan - Mar)
Status Vulnerable
Snowy Owls are an “irruptive” species, meaning their numbers in Maine vary wildly from year to year depending on the lemming population in the Arctic. When they do arrive, usually in deep winter, they attract birders from all over the country.
Fast Facts
- Unlike most owls, they hunt during the day.
- They have heavy feathering on their feet to act as snowshoes.
- Harry Potter's owl, Hedwig, was a Snowy Owl.
How to Spot Them
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Scan the tops of dunes or telephone poles near the coast.
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Biddeford Pool and Plum Island (NH border) are hotspots.
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Give them space; flushing them causes them to waste vital winter energy.
Where to Find Them
- Southern Maine (Beaches)
- Acadia National Park