Rare and irregular visitors to the Keystone State, snowy owls show up mainly from November to January, If food is scarce on the arctic tundra, large numbers may migrate south. Population crashes of lemmings and hares-and the accompanying owl migrations-usually occur at 4 or 5 year intervals. Juviniles, which are darker in color, go father south than the adults.

     Plumage of the snowy owl is white barred with grayish-brown; its feet and legs are heavily feathered. Full, soft feathers keep the bird warm during periods of inactivity between hunting forays.

     The snowy owl is as large as the great horned owl, with a 24-inch body length, 60-inch wingspan and a body weight up to five pounds. It is a bird of open field-not woodlands-which resemble its tundra home. It often perches on fence posts to look for mice, ground squirrels, wood rats, rabbits and hares. The snowy owl is crepuscular (most active in twilight) but is forced to hunt in the day during the long arctic summer, when darkness is almost non-existent. In Pennsylvania, the snowy owl continues these habits and often hunts during the day. It does not call south of its arctic breeding grounds.