Black-and-white Owl vs Snowy Owl
Ciccaba nigrolineata compared with Bubo scandiacus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black-and-white Owl | Snowy Owl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ciccaba nigrolineata | Bubo scandiacus |
| Order | Strigiformes | Strigiformes |
| Family | Strigidae | Strigidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | — | 63.0 cm (24.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 51.0 cm (20.1 in) | 145.0 cm (57.1 in) |
| Weight | 470.5 g (16.60 oz) | 2100.0 g (74.08 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Primarily lemmings on the breeding grounds, where a pair may consume over 1,500 per year. … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 3-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Snowy Owl
Arctic tundra for breeding. Winters in open habitats resembling tundra, including prairies, airports, shorelines, and agricultural fields.
Song & Call Comparison
Black-and-white Owl
Snowy Owl
Male gives a deep booming hoot 'hooooo' and a rising 'hoo-hoo' series. Also barks sharply when alarmed. Quieter than many owls; silent during long Arctic winter hunts.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black-and-white Owl
Snowy Owl
Circumpolar Arctic for breeding. Irruptive winter movements bring birds south to the northern United States, Europe, and Asia.
Conservation Status
Black-and-white Owl
Snowy Owl
How to Tell Them Apart
Black-and-white Owl
Snowy Owl
Adult males are almost entirely white. Females and immatures have dark brown barring and spotting. Yellow eyes and fully feathered feet.
Dark hooked bill mostly hidden by dense facial feathering
About These Birds
Black-and-white Owl
The Black-and-white Owl is a medium-sized owl of humid lowland forests from Mexico to Peru. It has striking black-and-white barred plumage with large dark eyes. It hunts large insects, small rodents, and birds at night, often near forest streams and edges.
Snowy Owl
The snowy owl is the heaviest North American owl and one of the most charismatic Arctic birds. Unlike most owls, it is largely diurnal, necessitated by the continuous daylight of Arctic summers. Snowy owl irruptions — periodic mass southward movements — are tied to lemming population cycles.