Species: Plectrophenax nivalis
Snow Bunting
Species
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Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Craniata
Class
Aves
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Emberizidae
Genus
Plectrophenax
NatureServe
Classification
Other Global Common Names
bruant des neiges
Informal Taxonomy
Animals, Vertebrates - Birds - Perching Birds
Formal Taxonomy
Animalia - Craniata - Aves - Passeriformes - Emberizidae - Plectrophenax - Constitutes a superspecies with P. HYPERBOREUS and may be conspecific with it (AOU 1998).
Ecology and Life History
Migration
false - false - true - Begins northward migration by late March (Terres 1980). Arrives in northern Alaska and northern Canada in April-May, remains well into fall (Johnson and Herter 1989).
Non-migrant
false
Locally Migrant
false
Food Comments
Eats seeds during the winter and spring (also leaves of PUCINELLA PHRYGANODES during spring migration--Bazely 1987). Feeds on insects, spiders, seeds, and buds during summer and fall. Forages on the ground.
Reproduction Comments
Egg laying begins in early June in Beaufort Sea area. Clutch size 3-9 (usually 4-7). Incubation 10-16 (usually 12-13) days, by female (male brings food). Most eggs hatch before end of June. Nestlings altricial. Young tended by both parents, leave nest 10-17 (usually 12-14) days after hatching.
Ecology Comments
Gregarious in winter; often in large flocks, which may include Lapland longspurs and horned larks.
Length
17
Weight
42
Conservation Status
NatureServe Global Status Rank
G5
Global Status Last Reviewed
1996-12-04
Global Status Last Changed
1996-12-04
Other Status
LC - Least concern
Distribution
Conservation Status Map
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Global Range
BREEDS: circumpolar in Arctic and sub-arctic regions. In North America, from Alaska across northern Canada (including arctic islands) to Greenland. WINTERS: In North America, from west-central and southern Alaska, northwestern British Columbia across southern Canada, south to northern California, Colorado, central Kansas, and North Carolina. Accidental or casual in Hawaii.