The story of the Snowy owl: surviving with low lemmings

Snowy owls are an iconic species of the Arctic. Lemmings are the main prey for many predators including Snowy Owls in tundra ecosystems. Lemmings are rodents weighing 70 -120 grams when adult, and look like large voles. They belonging to the genera Lemmus and Dicrostonyx. Lemmings do not hibernate and can produce large number of offspring under the snow cover during a long winter. In these ecosystems two lemming species occur: the West Siberian lemmings (Lemmus sibiricus) and the Nearctic collared lemming (Dicroctonyx groenlandicus). 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. The Snowy owl can lay up to 14 eggs in high lemmings year and just 3-5 with low numbers. Snowy owls nest on the ground. They defend their territory against terrestrial predators such as the Arctic fox. The Common eider, Black Brant and Snow geese readily nest in this area under the protection of the Snowy Owl. However, Snowy Owls can prey on these waterfowl (adults and offspring) when they lack lemmings. Owls also prey on other tundra birds.
These owls nest in a year with low lemming numbers. A female Snowy Owl laid only four eggs and all the eggs hatched. In the beginning, when the chicks were small, the prey caught by her partner was enough. But the owlets are growing rapidly and food were not enough. The female also begins to forage in such conditions. These Snowy Owls were lucky that a dozen Сommon eiders nested nearby.
Welcome to the channel @snowyflyer and watch more!

[@Zachary-uk6xp]

Snowy Owls are just cute.

[@Zachary-uk6xp]

Yes.

[@user-ps8ep6pv3m]

雪鴞的叫聲實在可愛又好笑.

[@MeijerInkie]

THANKS FOR POSTING THIS BEAUTIFUL BIRDS 💓💔💕💙💚💛

[@snowyflyer]

Thanks for the comment!

[@MeijerInkie]

THANKS FOR POSTING THIS BEAUTIFUL BIRDS 💙❤💜💛💚💔

[@snowyflyer]

Thanks for the comment!

[@ReviewBirdsinNest]

Thanks for sharing, I like your video

[@MeijerInkie]

Same same 👀❤

[@snowyflyer]

Thank you! Thanks for your comment!

[@snowyflyer]

Thank you!

[@GiaMartini730]

They've eaten so many ducks they start to sound like them "Not Many Lemmings in the Tundra This Year" quack quack

[@snowyflyer]

Thanks for the views and comments! Snowy owls are birds of prey

[@Chosenite]

Birds just hangin out waiting to be dinosaurs again.

[@snowyflyer]

Thank you for the joke! Thanks for the comment!

[@natadrozd1334]

Жалко утят... того утёнка тоже... 😢 Но утки понимают это и идут на этот риск, чтобы защититься от других хищников. Белоснежный, внимательный папа и заботливая, красивая мама выдержали, сдюжили... их птенцы встречают мир! Огромное спасибо за прекрасное видео и большущее спасибо за субтитры! Природа очень красивая - цветы, голубое небо, облака, тучи, птицы, животные, озеро... Спасибо большое 💖🌱

[@snowyflyer]

Спасибо за комментарий!

[@juanmallqui9309]

Do you feed them or leave food for them? Sometimes there is only 2 chicks and other times 3.

[@MeijerInkie]

Like to see when they all fly out ❤

[@snowyflyer]

Thank you!

[@user-no2bk2lv8p]

Отличные видео, спасибо огромное, подписался.
Василий, а это какой регион?

[@DanOhPhotography]

I assume this video is May or June of 2023. Do you count the number of nesting pairs in the area you are researching? Has it increased or decrease over few years? I assume this is Siberia or very northern Russia

[@MeijerInkie]

Hoi to see owls and😮youngsters go to Live barn owl/pigeon The charter group Israël Next week a new hatch and also babys now❤❤

[@robsin2810]

When will new season start.🇦🇺🙏👍

[@snowyflyer]

It's hard to say now. But I will keep posting videos with new content

[@GiaMartini730]

What country do you film in, and is nesting season roughly same as Utqiavik AK, mid May nesting, hatch mid June? Last year AK was month later than normal eggs hatched mid July

[@shinjineesen400]

I think this footage is from last year. 2022.

[@count_of_pizza]

what happened with fourth owlet?

[@snowyflyer]

Thanks for the question! All four owlets survived to flying condition.

[@rdh1429]

Did you take it somewhere else it would have a better chance?

[@richscenic]

WOW !! WONDERFUL. AMAZING COVERAGE.VERY BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATION, GREETINGS FROM HONG KONG. @richscenic

[@snowyflyer]

Thank you! Thank you for the comment!