Snowy Owls breed on the arctic tundra of both Eurasia and North America. The Canadian breeding range includes the islands of the Arctic Archipelago, from Ellesmere Island in the north, to Baffin Island in the east, to Banks Island in the west, and along the northern coast of the continent from the Yukon to Labrador.

The heaviest of North American owls, the Snowy Owl stands almost half a metre tall, with a wingspan of almost 1.5 m. The female is larger and heavier than the male (average weight of 2.3 kg versus 1.8 kg),
as is the case with most diurnal birds of prey and owls. This is the reverse of the situation in most other families of birds, where males are typically larger than females, and has been the subject of much speculation.

Books: Owls: A Guide to the Owls of the World