Stealthy in the Snow T e Arctic is covered in thick layers of snow. Two golden eyes scan the sea of white. A snowy owl huddles against the wind, protected by many layers of thick, warm feathers. Unlike most owls, snowy owls are diurnal.


T at means they’re active during the day. T is snowy owl is hungry. It’s searching for prey. T e only thing moving above ground is the


bitter wind. Lemmings, mice, and hares are hidden from sight in burrows under the snow. T ey’re hidden, but not safe. Snowy owls have excellent eyesight, but they


don’t have x-ray vision. T ey can’t see through the snow. T at’s not a problem, though. T e snowy owl has adapted another keen sense to capture its meals: hearing.


Most owl ears are small slits in the bird’s skull beneath the feathers. T ese ears are asymmetrical. One ear is higher than the other. T is is an adaptation that helps the owl hone in on its prey. When the owl hears a noise, one ear hears it first. T e time difference between sound reception is a split second, but it matters a great deal to the owl. For example, a snowy owl hears the tiny


rustling of a mouse in its leſt ear 30 millionths of a second before the right ear picks it up. T at difference allows the owl’s brain to calculate its exact distance from the mouse. T e owl turns its head until the sound arrives into both ears at the same time. T en it knows its prey is directly in front of it. Snowy owl ears are so sensitive they can detect a mouse’s heartbeat under the snow. Its hearing helps the owl survive in its frozen environment.


To survive in their cold habitat, snowy owls have thick feathers. They even have feathers on their feet!


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