Julie Maggert spent four long days trying to snap the perfect picture of a snowy owl in Michigan whose unusual orange colouring has left scientists baffled. The amateur wildlife photographer was ...

The great horned owl is the most common owl of the Americas, easily recognizable because of the feather tufts on its head. These “plumicorns” resemble horns or, to some, catlike ears.

By James Crugnale Bill Diller, a photographer living in Huron County, Mich., had never seen a snowy owl quite like this. In January, Mr. Diller’s neighbor told him about a “red-spotted snowy ...