A ‘Very Large, Rare Winter Visitor’ Gives New Yorkers a Thrill

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New York State is part of snowy owls’ limited range in the United States, but these Arctic birds are still pretty rare in the area. The New York State (NYS) Department of Environmental Conservation suggests New Yorkers tend to see more snowy owls in their state when prey numbers are low in the Arctic, where the species is more numerous. Perhaps that is the case this winter, since one of these “very large, rare winter visitors” recently showed up in upstate New York to the delight of many wildlife enthusiasts.

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“Maybe the cold does have its perks!” wrote the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation in a Facebook post showing a photo of a majestic white owl perched on a fence amidst a snow flurry. “Snowy owls can be found in open areas (fields, marshes, beaches, airports, frozen lake shores) where they often perch low or on the ground.”

It’s always fun to spot something that people rarely see, especially when that “something” is particularly beautiful.

See a snowy owl in upstate New York here:

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Have you ever come across a wild animal that surprised you?