Snow Birds

Embark on a winter adventure in search of these extra-special fliers –named for their white plumage.

- By Sally Roth

IT’S BUSY SEASON AT THE FEEDERS,but to see most of these similarly-named birds you’ll have to go beyond the backyard. Each species is from a different family, so they have a wide range of habitats that match their specialized needs—from farm fields and grasslands to ocean beaches.

Like human snowbirds, most of them move south for a winter stay in a warmer place. South can mean almost anywhere in the Lower 48, especially for the Arctic birds, so keep your eyes open for these snowy winter friends.

SNOWY OWL

Lemmings have been the butt of jokes since the myth of them committing mass suicide went mainstream, thanks to faked scenes in a 1958 Disney movie. But lemmings are no laughing matter to the big white owl of the Arctic—the mouse-sized rodents are the snowy owl’s main menu item. In winter, some snowies move south erratically, and individuals may show up as far south as Texas and Florida. They prefer grasslands but are also seen perched high on roofs or at landfills, where they keep a lookout for rats—or to them, supersize lemmings!