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Re: Snowy Owl



Hi,

I posted that letter an hour ago but something was wrong so I am sending
it again. if you will see two my letter then I am sorry...
    From my experience with birds descriptions most birdwatchers
(including me)
usually a bit oversize wingspan (or body length) especially if see birds
from
very short distance. If we consider the wingspan of that owl as it was
mentioned "the wing span was magnificent... thirty five to forty
inches", we
are most probably talking about a bird of wingspan no more than 40
inches (no
more than 100 cm).  The snowy owl is very large bird with wingspan
around 52
inches (132 cm)(Sibley 2001) or 56-65 inches (142-166 cm)(Jonsson 1992).
Means
12 to 25 inches (30-63 cm)  or 30 to 62% more than mentioned in the
description! So, I would agree that was a big bird,  very whitish
appearance
(at night in artificial light all colors are much more whitish and
brighter,
seen on black background of the night) with some barring and size of
Red-tailed Hawk. It could be white phase of hawk or extremely light
individual
of barred owl (most probably in that case).
In Polish Rarities Committee we've had many description of big, white
owls which
we didn't accept because of a short and not precisely descriptions. Very

important feature of close seen Snowy Owl are its eyes, yellow-orange in
that
case there nothing about it.
So, I suggest that it wasn't Snowy Owl, the bird was far too small for
that
species.

Mike

--
************************************************
Michal Skakuj  Ph.D.
4600 University Drive # 1312
Durham, NC 27707
phone, fax: (919) 402 9961