{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "snowy-owl",
  "name": "Snowy Owl",
  "scientificName": "Bubo scandiacus",
  "category": "Bird",
  "summary": "The snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) is a large, white owl of the Arctic tundra, easily recognised by its rounded head, piercing yellow eyes, and dense feathering. It weighs around 2 kg with a wingspan of 1.2 to 1.5 m, flies powerfully at up to 80 km/h (50 mph), and hunts mainly lemmings by day as well as night. Living about 10 years in the wild, it is listed as Vulnerable.",
  "conservationStatus": "Vulnerable",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Aves",
    "order": "Strigiformes",
    "family": "Strigidae",
    "genus": "Bubo"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 2,
    "lengthM": 0.66,
    "topSpeedKmh": 80,
    "lifespanYears": 10
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Bubo scandiacus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore (mainly lemmings)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Arctic tundra and open fields"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "About 10 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Wingspan",
      "value": "1.2–1.5 m (4–5 ft)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 80 km/h (50 mph)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Vulnerable (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "The Arctic tundra of North America, Europe, and Asia, wintering farther south.",
    "continents": [
      "North America",
      "Europe",
      "Asia"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "BirdLife International (2021). Bubo scandiacus. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.",
      "url": null
    },
    {
      "citation": "Billerman, S. M. et al. (eds.). Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.",
      "url": null
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Bubo scandiacus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Bubo_scandiacus/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/snowy-owl/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/snowy-owl/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}