Snowy Owl
Snowy Owls
Ryan J. Bradshaw
These elegant fowl are diurnal owls,
Unlike most of their owl chums.
They dance by the light of the sun,
The sun,
The sun,
They dance by the light of the sun.
This poem is inspired by The Owl and the Pussy-cat by Edward Lear.
While most owls are nocturnal, Snowy Owls are diurnal, meaning they are most active during the day. Seeing that they spend their summers in the far north where sunlight is continuous, this makes good sense. Snowy Owls can be spotted in Saskatchewan during the winter months.
According to Audubon’s Survival by Degrees study, the Snowy Owl is estimated to lose 53% of its current summer range in the not-too-distant future as average global temperatures rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Climate experts believe we will reach 1.5°C as soon as the early 2030s. If we allow global heating to progress at this rate, the Snowy Owl could lose 77% of its current summer range as soon as 2050 (2°C), and 93% as soon as 2080 (3°C). Projections suggest they will not gain any new summer range.
Want to help? Visit the United Nations website for a list of actions that you can take!
Photograph courtesy of Nick Saunders
This project is supported by SK Arts
