Northern Hawk Owl

Many of you have probably seen a snowy owl in the winter months in North Dakota, but have you ever seen a northern hawk owl? Like the snowy owl, these visitors from the north occasionally irrupt southwards into the northern United States. Their body shape resembles a hawk, due a rather long pointed tail, thus the name hawk owl. Northern hawk owls nest in tree cavities in the boreal forest of Canada and Alaska. This species is also found in Scandinavia and northern Russia. Northern hawk owls hunt both day and night. Look for these rare winter tourists atop scattered groups of trees or utility poles.