Reading and vocabulary. Snowy Owl

When you see a snowy owl, it's clear how the bird probably got its name: they're snow-white. Males are generally whiter than females. As males grow older, they get whiter. The females never become completely white—remaining brownish with darker markings.

These large owls mainly live in the Arctic in open, treeless (area)       called tundra. Snowy owls perch on the ground or on short posts. From there they patiently watch for prey. Their favorite target is (lemming)          —small mouselike rodents—but they also hunt for other small rodents, (rabbit)         , (bird)       , and (fish)      .

Snowy owls have excellent eyesight, but they obviously can't see their prey when it's underneath snow or a thick layer of plants. To capture those meals, the owl relies on its other keen sense: hearing.

In flight, snowy owls generally cruise low to the ground. Once they spot their prey, they approach it from the air, and snatch it up using the large, sharp (talon)        , or (claw)       , on their (foot)      .

Most owls sleep during the     and hunt at       , but the snowy owl is active during the day, especially in the            . They tend to be most active at dawn and dusk.

Snowy owl pairs usually mate for life. Female snowy owls lay from 3 to 11      at a time, in a      built on the        . When there is plenty of      available, snowy owls tend to lay more eggs than when food is scarce.

Lemmings make up the main part of the snowy owls'      , and lemming population numbers rise and fall           . Sometimes, if there is not enough prey around to feed      owls, the adult pair won't lay any eggs at all until the supply of food improves.