14 DAY TRIAL // Folks living in the eastern regions of the United States have spotted a surprisingly large number of snowy owls exploring the area this winter.
Specialists say that, although these birds typically stay close to the Arctic Circle, many of them have left their usual habitats and have traveled south this year.
According to ornithologist Peter Paton, it has been over 30 years since such a large number of snow owls last visited the country.
All things considered, the birds probably arrived in the United States in search of food. More precisely, they could be looking for lemmings and other rodents that they can kill and feast on.
Tree Hugger tells us that, up and until now, representatives of this species have been spotted flying over New York, Rhode Island and even South Carolina.
“This season's invasion so far has been concentrated farther east than the last one, along the Atlantic Coast and the eastern Great Lakes, with smaller numbers farther west,” explains Kevin McGowan with Cornell University's Lab of Ornithology.
Unlike other species of owls, snowy ones are active and can be observed during daytime. Specialists say that this is because they have evolved to live in regions where, during certain times of the year, there is continuous sunlight.