Mindanao Boobook vs Snowy Owl

Ninox spilocephala compared with Bubo scandiacus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Mindanao Boobook Snowy Owl
Scientific Name Ninox spilocephala Bubo scandiacus
Order Strigiformes Strigiformes
Family Strigidae Strigidae
Conservation Status Near Threatened Vulnerable
Length 63.0 cm (24.8 in)
Wingspan 35.5 cm (14.0 in) 145.0 cm (57.1 in)
Weight 137.0 g (4.83 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 -- 3-14
Population Trend
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Size Comparison

Body Length
Mindanao Boobook
Snowy Owl 63.0 cm
Wingspan
Mindanao Boobook 35.5 cm
Snowy Owl 145.0 cm
Weight
Mindanao Boobook 137.0 g
Snowy Owl 2100.0 g
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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

None

Mindanao Boobook only

Snowy Owl only

Snowy Owl

Arctic tundra for breeding. Winters in open habitats resembling tundra, including prairies, airports, shorelines, and agricultural fields.

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Song & Call Comparison

Mindanao Boobook

Snowy Owl

Song

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.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Mindanao Boobook

Snowy Owl

Circumpolar Arctic for breeding. Irruptive winter movements bring birds south to the northern United States, Europe, and Asia.

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Conservation Status

Near Threatened

Mindanao Boobook

Vulnerable

Snowy Owl

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How to Tell Them Apart

Mindanao Boobook

Snowy Owl

Plumage

Adult males are almost entirely white. Females and immatures have dark brown barring and spotting. Yellow eyes and fully feathered feet.

Bill

Dark hooked bill mostly hidden by dense facial feathering

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About These Birds

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.

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Related Comparisons

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