Head moderate, without ear-tufts; wings rather long, wide; tail rather
long, ample; tarsi strong, and with the toes densely covered with
hair-like feathers; claws strong, sharp; plumage very thick and compact.
This sub-family includes only the two species now about to be described,
both of which are common to the Arctic regions of America, Europe, and
Asia, migrating southward in the winter. They are the least nocturnal of
all the birds of this family.
I. GENUS NYCTEA. Stephens, Cont. of Shaw’s Gen. Zool., XIII. p. 62.
(1826.)
Size large; head large, without ear-tufts; no facial disc; bill short,
very strong, nearly concealed by projecting feathers; wings long, wide,
third quill longest; tail moderate or rather long, broad; legs short,
and with the toes densely covered with feathers, almost concealing the
claws, which are long, curved, and strong; general form compact and
robust, and thickly feathered. This genus contains only the species
described below.
Nyctea nivea. (Daudin.) The Snowy Owl. The White Owl.
Strix nivea. Daudin, Traité d’Orn., II. p. 190. (1800.)
Strix nyctea. Linn., Syst. Nat., I. p. 132. (1766.)
Strix candida. Lath., Ind. Orn., Supp., p. 14. (1801.)
Strix erminea. Shaw, Gen. Zool., VII. p. 251. (1809.)
Strix arctica. Bartram, Trav., p. 289 (1791, but not of Sparrman,
1789.)
Large; eyes large; bill nearly concealed by projecting feathers; tarsi
and toes densely covered with hair-like feathers, nearly concealing
the claws. Adult. Entire plumage white, in some specimens with a few
spots only on the upper parts of dark brown, and on the under parts
with a few irregular transverse bars of the same; quills and tail with
a few spots or traces of bands of dark brown. In other specimens every
feather except on the face and neck before, is distinctly banded
transversely with brown, and in some specimens that color predominates
on the upper parts; quills and tail with regular transverse bands of
dark brown; plumage of the legs and feet pure white; bill and claws
dark horn-color; irides yellow.
Dimensions. _Female._—Total length, 24 to 26 inches; wing, 17; tail,
10 inches. _Male_, smaller.
Hab. Northern North America. Northern Europe and Asia. Greenland
(Prof. Holboll); Hudson’s Bay (Mr. Hearne); Canada (Dr. Hall); Vermont
(Mr. Thompson); Oregon (Dr. Townsend); Kamschatka (Pallas); Ohio
(Prof. Kirtland); South Carolina, Kentucky (Audubon); Bermuda (Sir W.
Jardine). Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada.
Obs. This large and handsome Owl is abundant in the Arctic regions of
America, and has been observed at the highest northern latitude yet
reached by voyagers. In the winter, it migrates southward over the
greater part of Asia, Europe, and North America. It is to be met with
every winter in the Northern and Middle States of the Union, though
greatly varying in numbers in different years. We have known it to be so
abundant in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as to be brought commonly by
the farmers to the market in Philadelphia, and sold for a trifle.
According to Dr. Hall, this fine species breeds in the vicinity of
Montreal, making its nest on the ground. Mr. Audubon’s plate represents
this bird unusually dark.