Snowy Owl vs African Wood-owl
Bubo scandiacus compared with Strix woodfordii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Snowy Owl | African Wood-owl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Bubo scandiacus | Strix woodfordii |
| Order | Strigiformes | Strigiformes |
| Family | Strigidae | Strigidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | 63.0 cm (24.8 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 145.0 cm (57.1 in) | 51.3 cm (20.2 in) |
| Weight | 2100.0 g (74.08 oz) | 322.1666666666667 g (11.36 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily lemmings on the breeding grounds, where a pair may consume over 1,500 per year. … | -- |
| Clutch Size | 3-14 | 1-3 |
| 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
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.
African Wood-owl
Geographic Range & Migration
Snowy Owl
Circumpolar Arctic for breeding. Irruptive winter movements bring birds south to the northern United States, Europe, and Asia.
African Wood-owl
Conservation Status
Snowy Owl
African Wood-owl
How to Tell Them Apart
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
African Wood-owl
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.
African Wood-owl
The African Wood-owl is a medium-sized owl with a wingspan of about 51 cm and a weight near 322 g. It inhabits dense forests and wooded areas across Africa, hunting small vertebrates and large insects at night and delivering a distinctive hooting call from concealed roost sites.