Snowy Owls are an iconic species of the Arctic. Lemmings are the main prey for many predators including Snowy Owls in tundra ecosystems. The number of lemmings is subject to cyclical changes with a period of 4-5 years and an amplitude of up to 500 times for the Siberian lemming and up to 200 times for the Collared lemming. Snowy Owls can prey on birds when they lack lemmings.
These owls nest in a year with high lemming numbers. A female Snowy Owl laid seven eggs and all the eggs hatched. We follow the family of Snowy Owls when the chicks are two to four weeks old. The older three owlets have left the nest and are a few yards from the nest hole. We see four owlets in the frame at 15, 17, 1...