Snowy owl sightings have sparked excitement among birdwatchers after a viewer photographed one near the Northampton Airport. The species, which are native to Arctic regions, travels south every winter to hunt and feed in warmer weather, but the number of sightings varies from year to year. Unlike many other owls, snowy owls are active during the day and often spotted perched in open areas such as fields, dunes, and airports. They are considered an irruptive species due to changes in their territory's conditions, such as variations in their Arctic food supply or a superabundance of owls from a good nesting season. Massachusetts is a popular sighting area for this species.