A snowy owl (Nyctea scandiaca) rests in an old stump at Damon Point in Ocean Shores, Washington. Snowy owls, which spend the summer in the northern circumpolar region north of 60 degrees latitude, have a typical winter range that includes Alaska, Canada and northern Eurasia. Every several years, for reasons still unexplained, the snowy owls migrate much farther south in an event known as an irruption. During irruptions, snowy owls are often found in coastal and plains areas, which most resemble the open tundra that serves as their typical home. Snowy owls, like other owls, hunt at night and rest during the day to conserve energy.