Plate 60
Havell CXXI
Snowy Owl
(Nyctea scandiaca)
This handsome painting was probably done in 1829 on the east coast; it is the only night scene painted by Audubon for The Birds of America. He used pencil to imitate the owl’s soft, downy feathers. In his text he tells how this bird caught fish by lying down on its side near the water: “One might have supposed the bird sound asleep, as it would remain in the same position until a good opportunity of securing a fish occurred… as the latter unwittingly rose to the surface, near the edge, that instant the Owl thrust out the foot next to the water, and, with the quickness of lightning, seized it, and drew it out.” The male owl is shown at top, the female is below him.
Source: The Original Water-Color Paintings by John James Audubon. Copyright 1966 by American Heritage Publishing Co., Inc.
Learn more about this print on the National Audubon Society's website.
Learn more about the Library's Audubon Collection.