Snowy owls are not nocturnal like other owls; they will hunt any time of the day or night. Their diet consists of lemmings, voles, rodents, rabbits and other small mammals. Snatching quarry with their strong talons, these magnificent raptors swoop down after targeting their prey from above. Snowy Owls spend their summers in the Arctic, hunting and nesting out on the tundra, where there are few people. When migrating south in the winter, they don’t choose warm, sunny locations like most other birds do. They spend their winters on snow-covered farmlands, dunes, or marshes, where their white feathers will keep them camouflaged. If the hunting is good, most any flat, open land will suffice. Snowy Owls populations can be found in Alaska, Canada and Greenland, as well as Russia and Scandinavia. In winter they move to the United States, the British Isles and Northern Europe. The snowy owl is protected under the U.S. Migratory Bird Act. The Snowy Owl, an Arctic-nesting species has been classed as vulnerable for the first time (2017). Snowy Owls are undergoing high rates of population decline. In addition to illegal hunting, and collisions with vehicles and power lines, the effects of climate change present a significant threat. Changes to snowmelt and snow cover decrease the availability of prey, which restricts their breeding habits. Due to rates of decline, the species’ global threat status has now been classified as vulnerable. For the first time, the Snowy Owl faces a high risk of extinction. “Snowy Owl Hunting,” is a digital painting and photo composite created in Spadecaller’s Florida studio.