The Arctic owl or, as it is commonly called the white owl, is a member of the Bubo genus in the true owl family from the Strigiformes order. The bird’s main natural habitat is the tundra in Russia and Canada. Its average wingspan is one and a half meters. The largest known measurement is 175 cm. Males, on average, weigh only two and a half kilograms. The heaviest birds can reach around 3 kg. The white owl’s plumage is very dense and insulating. Even its claws are covered in thin feathers, which look like a fur coat. Small feathers also hide the beak of this bird. These characteristics are essential, as Arctic owls live in quite cold conditions at times. In addition, their feathers have unique structures that allow the birds to fly almost noiselessly. Its molt occurs with the changing seasons. The first one starts at the beginning of summer, and the second — at the end of autumn.

The snowy owl has excellent hearing: it can register sounds made by rodents that are quite far away. It is believed that this bird’s hearing is four times better than that of a domestic cat. Its eyes are round and bright yellow in color. The Arctic owl does not have eyeballs, just like other owls, instead its eyes are shaped like tubes. The bird cannot move its eyes, but this evolutionary defect is compensated by the ease with which it moves its head. The stationary snowy owl has a 280 degree view of its surroundings since it can turn its head 140 degrees to either side.

Arctic owls feed on hares, pikas, stoats, small predators, young offspring of Arctic foxes, ducks, small geese, partridges and fish. While looking for prey, the bird remains on the ground. It positions itself on an elevated spot and observes. Once the snowy owl sees its prey, it immediately raises its wings, flies towards the victim and grabs it with its claws. Sometimes, the bird also hunts in another manner by flying low above ground.
The hunting usually begins at dusk, although Arctic owls are not necessarily nocturnal birds as they are not afraid of sunlight.

Almost all them lead solitary lifestyles. In order to communicate with each other and to scare away enemies, snowy owls can produce sounds that resemble crowing and at times, chirping trills or hoot.

They do have enemies since predators pose a threat to their young offspring. Baby birds are often hunted by Arctic and red foxes, and at time, by skuas. Polar foxes also like climbing into the snowy owl’s nest in order to eat its eggs. Since the bird’s clutches and the resulting offspring are seriously threatened by white foxes, the latter are considered to be the main enemies of the Arctic owl.