Ukpik (Snowy Owl)

The Inupiat Eskimo people and their ancestors have lived on the North Slope for thousands of years. They call the location where Barrow sits by the name Ukpeagvik, which literally means "Place to hunt snowy owls". Today of course nobody hunts snowy owls here... except with a camera. The snowy owl is called "Ukpik" in Inupiaq.

Image 1

Snowy owls like high places, where they can look for rodents, such as lemmings. This owl has found one of the highest perches around, on top of a satellite communications dish antenna, about 40 feet above the ground.

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Image 2

This photograph was take from about 100 feet away from the owl. Getting that close if the owl were not so high off the ground would be impossible, but it certainly feels safe at that height.

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Image 3

Eyeball to eyeball, you wouldn't want to be a lemming...

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Image 4

This is a young owl, photographed in October 2005, sitting on a power pole at the edge of town.

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