What do Snowy Owls eat?

[Dave Leatherman]

Gary Lefko posed the question about what do Snowy Owls eat?  For what it's worth, there was a Snowy Owl on the Paulsen Farm north of Lamar, CO (near Wiley) during February 1998 that hung out on a Black-tailed Prairie-Dog town on unirrigated pasture land.  When I took my non-birding family out to Aurora Reservoir on New Years' Day 2012 (and forgot all about Joe Roller's considerate post reminding people who pay attention that the park was closed on holidays), we ended up wandering around the clubhouse and show homes southeast of the standard Quantock/Southshore parking spot.  I couldn't help but notice the abundant population of Desert Cottontails (and Rock Pigeons) in that neighborhood.  When we looked north and scoped the dam, in the background was that huge landfill east of the jct. of Quincy and Gun Club Road, which is presumably full of all sorts of rodents, including Norway Rats.  The hills immediately surrounding Aurora Res looked perfect for rabbits, and various shortgrass prairie rodents including Microtus vole species and Ord's Kangaroo Rat.

 

And, unfortunately, based on last year's Peyton bird, we all know Colorado Snowy Owls will eat pet store rats with broken legs.

 

Dave Leatherman