This extra structure is called a sclerotic ring and consists of little overlaying ossicles around the cylinder of the eye. In fact, snowy owls have such “long” eyes that a special set of bones is needed to support them and keep them in place. So, we can’t really say that snowy owls have big eyeballs simply because they are not “balls” but “tubes”. Usually, the eyes of birds are in the shape of a disc, but owls have large “tubular”-shaped eyes. The eyes of owls are not like the eyes of other birds. This “3D” vision is common for predatory animals and is an adaptation for following the movements of their prey 2 (sources: American Bird Conservancy and E. The large eyes of snowy owls are located at the front of their head in comparison to the eyes of their prey, like rats, which are on the sides of their heads. Snowy owls have big eyes to enable them to see well in the dark, having more developed night vision than humans. Passarotto, et al, The Journal of Avian Biology, Vol. Potier, Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology, Vol. However, a recent study found that owls that are active during the day or at dusk have irises with bright colors such as orange or yellow, like those of snowy owls, and they help them adapt to the light 1 (sources: S. Nocturnal owls, such as the barrel owl, have darker eyes because it helps them camouflage into the night. Snowy owls have bright yellow eyes because they hunt during daylight. Keep reading if you want to find out more about adaptations of owls’ eyes and what makes the eyes of snowy owls so special. As snowy owls live in the arctic where the days can last more than 24 hours, their bright yellow iris ensures their vision is still clear during daylight. Snowy owls have large eyes compared to other birds in the Arctic because it’s an important characteristic that allows them to hunt better at night by letting more light in. One of the incredible adaptations of snowy owls to be able to hunt both day and night time are their eyes. Instead, summer days there can be as long as 24 hours. They inhabit the high northern latitudes of the Arctic tundra where summer nights are not as dark as we know them. Snowy owls are marvelous flying predators.
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