Hartford (AP) - A conservation group says snowy owls are expected to return to Connecticut and other nearby states in significant numbers this year.

The birds spend the summer nesting in the Arctic before coming south in winter to find more abundant food sources.

Dozens of snowy owls were spotted in Connecticut last winter. Audubon Connecticut says the numbers this year have been slightly lower but still higher than a typical year.

The birds are typically seen in open spaces such as field and farmland and have a wing span of up to 6 feet.

Adult males are almost entirely white. Female snowy owls can have dark and white marks on their breast and back with a white face.