Male Snowy Owls are pure white, and weigh about one and three quarters kilograms. Females have white faces, necks, feet and breasts, but otherwise are covered in brown or black bars. They weigh about two kilograms. Snowy Owls measure 20 to 24 inches with typical wingspans of 54 to 66 inches. They have black beaks and lovely yellow eyes, and their legs and toes are entirely feathered. Young Snowy Owls also have dark black or brown bands and dark splotches on the tops of their heads. The claws and beak are sharp and hooked, and the Snowy Owl can turn its head 270 degrees in either direction. The Snowy Owl is white because its feathers lack pigmentation, which provides extra space for air between the feathers. The air acts as an insulator for the Snowy Owl.
