Snow Bunting 240454 219086835 2008-06-13T14:36:54Z Notafly 457080 {{Taxobox | name = Snow Bunting | status = LC | status_system = iucn3.1 | image = Plectrophenax nivalis1.jpg | image_width = 240px | image_caption = Male in breeding plumage, Alaska | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordata]] | classis = [[Aves]] | ordo = [[Passeriformes]] | familia = [[Emberizidae]] | genus = ''[[Plectrophenax]]'' | species = '''''P. nivalis''''' | binomial = ''Plectrophenax nivalis'' | binomial_authority = ([[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[1758]]) | synonyms = ''Passerina nivalis'' }} The '''Snow Bunting''' ('''''Plectrophenax nivalis'''''), sometimes colloquially called '''"[[snowflake]]"''', is a [[passerine]] [[bird]] in the [[bunting (bird)|bunting]] [[family (biology)|family]] [[Emberizidae]]. It is an [[arctic]] specialist, with a [[circumpolar]] Arctic breeding range throughout the northern hemisphere. There are small isolated populations on a few high mountain tops south of the Arctic region, including the [[Cairngorms]] in central [[Scotland]] and the [[Saint Elias Mountains]] on the southern [[Alaska]]-[[Yukon]] border.<ref name=byers>Byers, C., Olsson, U., & Curson, J. (1995). ''Buntings and Sparrows''. Pica Press ISBN 1-873403-19-4.</ref> The breeding habitat is on [[tundra]], treeless moors, and bare mountains. It is [[bird migration|migratory]], wintering a short distance further south in open habitats in northern temperate areas, typically on either sandy coasts, steppes, prairies, or low mountains, more rarely on farmland stubble. In winter, it forms mobile flocks.<ref name=byers/> It is fairly large and long-winged for a bunting, 15-18 cm long and with a wingspan of 32–38 cm, and weighing 26–50 g. In flight, it is easily identified by its large white wing patches. The breeding male is unmistakable, with all white plumage and a black back; the breeding female is grey-black where the male is solid black. In winter plumage, both sexes are mottled pale ginger, blackish and white above, and pale ginger and white below, with the males having more white than the females. The bill is yellow with a black tip, all black in summer males. Unlike most passerines, it has feathered tarsi, an adaptation to its harsh environment. No other passerine can winter as far north as this species apart from the [[Common Raven]].<ref name=byers/><ref name=bwpc>Snow, D. W. & Perrins, C. M. (1998). ''The Birds of the Western Palearctic'' Concise Edition. OUP ISBN 0-19-854099-X.</ref> The call is a distinctive rippling whistle, "per,r,r,rit" and the typical ''Plectrophenax'' warble "hudidi feet feet feew hudidi". It builds its bulky nest in rock crevices. The eggs are blue-green, spotted brown, and hatch in 12–13 days, and the young are already ready to fly after a further 12–14 days.<ref name=bwpc/> There are four [[subspecies]], which differ slightly in the plumage pattern of breeding males:<ref name=byers/> *''Plectrophenax nivalis nivalis''. Arctic Europe, Arctic North America. Head white, rump mostly black with a small area of white. *''Plectrophenax nivalis insulae''. Iceland, Faroe Islands, Scotland. Head white with a blackish collar, rump black. *''Plectrophenax nivalis vlasowae''. Arctic Asia. Head white, rump mostly white. *''Plectrophenax nivalis townsendi''. Aleutian Islands, Kamchatka, coastal far eastern Siberia. As ''vlasowae'', but slightly larger. It is very closely related to the [[Beringia]]n [[McKay's Bunting]], which differs in having even more white in the plumage. [[Hybrid (biology)|Hybrids]] between the two occur in Alaska,<ref name=byers/><ref name=sibley>Sibley, D. (2000). ''The Sibley Guide to Birds''. National Audubon Society ISBN 0-679-45122-6</ref> and they have been considered conspecific by some authors,<ref name=voous>Voous, K. (1977). List of Recent Holarctic Bird Species, part III. ''Ibis'' 119: 376-406.</ref> though are generally treated separate species.<ref name=aou>[[American Ornithologists' Union]]: ''Checklist of North American Birds''.</ref> The species is not endangered at present, with good populations.<ref>{{IUCN2006|assessors=BirdLife International|year=2004|id=53543|title=Plectrophenax nivalis|downloaded=12 May 2006}} Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern</ref> It shows little fear of humans, and often nests around buildings in Arctic areas, readily feeding on grain or other scraps put out for it.<ref name=byers/> During the [[last ice age]], the Snow Bunting was widespread throughout continental [[Europe]].<ref>Tomek, T., & Bocheński, Z. (2005). Weichselian and Holocene bird remains from Komarowa Cave, Central Poland. ''Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia'' 48A (1-2): 43-65. [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/search/download?pub=infobike%3a%2f%2fisez%2fazc%2f2005%2f00000048%2fF0020001%2fart00005&mimetype=application%2fpdf PDF fulltext]</ref> ==References==<!-- WilsonBull18:47 (compare to current Ohio checklist http://www.ohiobirds.org/publications/OBRClist.pdf) --> {{reflist}} {{commons|Plectrophenax nivalis}} <gallery> Image:Plectrophenax nivalis2.jpg|Adult breeding male ''insulae'', Iceland Image:Plectrophenax nivalis3.jpg|Adult winter male, England Image:Snow Bunting Cairngorm.jpg|Adult breeding male, Scotland </gallery> ==External links== * [http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Snow_Bunting.html Snow Bunting Species Account] - Cornell Lab of Ornithology * [http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i5340id.html Snow Bunting ''Plectrophenax nivalis''] - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter * [http://www.bird-stamps.org/cspecies/20230700.htm Stamps] (with world range map) * [http://ibc.hbw.com/ibc/phtml/especie.phtml?idEspecie=9625 Snow Bunting videos] on the Internet Bird Collection * [http://www.arkive.org/species/ARK/birds/Plectrophenax_nivalis/ ARKive] Images <!-- ==Further reading== <div class="reflist4" style="height: 220px; overflow: auto; padding: 3px" > ===Books=== * Lyon, B., & Montgomerie, R. 1995. ''Snow Bunting and McKay's Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis and Plectrophenax hyperboreus)''. In: ''The Birds of North America'', No. 198–199. (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. ===Articles=== * Abuladze, A. V. (1977). The First Occurrence of the Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis: New Record in the Georgian Ssr Ussr. ''Soobshcheniya Akademii Nauk Gruzinskoi SSR''. 85 (2): 453-456. * Addis, E., Wacker, D., Clark, A., Coverdill, A., Meddle, S., Walker, B., Landys, M., Reneerkens, J., & Wingfield, J. C. (2004). Influence of habitat condition on breeding in Plectrophenax nivalis and Calcarius lapponicus. ''Integr. Comp. Biol''. 44 (6): 672-672. * Banks, K. W., Clark, H., Mackay, I. R. K., Mackay, S. G., & Sellers, R. M. (1989). Biometrics and Pre-migratory fattening in the Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis. ''Ringing & Migration'' 10 (3): 141-158. * Banks, K. W., Clark, H., Mackay, I. R. K., Mackay, S. G., & Sellers, R. M. (1991). Origins, Population Structure and Movements of Snow Buntings Plectrophenax nivalis Wintering in Highland Region, Scotland, UK. ''Bird Study'' 38 (1): 10-19. * Behrend, F. W. (1971). A Snow Bunting in the Roan Mountain Area. ''Migrant'' 42 (3). * Behrend, F. W. (1971). Snow Bunting in Upper East Tennessee. ''Migrant'' 42 (3): 64-65. * Bolton, M., Medeiros, R., & Fraga, H. (2001). Potential flight range of Snow Buntings Plectrophenax nivalis occurring in the Azores islands in late March: A first analysis. ''Arquipelago Boletim da Universidade dos Acores Ciencias Biologicas e Marinhas''. * Bryan, K., Gallucci, T., & Moldenhauer, R. (1978). First Record of the Snow Bunting for Texas USA. ''American Birds'' 32 (5). * Campbell, R. W., & Van Der Raay, B. M. (1985). First Breeding Record of the Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis for British Columbia, Canada. ''Wilson Bulletin'' 97 (1): 128-129. * Custer, T. W., & Pitelka, F. A. (1975). Correction factors for digestion rates for prey taken by Snow Buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis). ''Condor'' 77 (2): 210-212. * Deunert, J. (1990). The Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis in Bautzen Germany at the Beginning of May. ''Beitraege zur Vogelkunde'' 36 (5): 302-303. * Dierschke, J. (2001). [Origin, migration routes and population size of Shorelarks (Eremophila alpestris), Snow Buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis) and Twites (Carduelis flavirostris) wintering in Europe.]. ''Vogelwarte'' 41 (1): 31-43. * Dierschke, J. (2002). Food preferences of Shorelarks Eremophila alpestris, Snow Buntings Plectrophenax nivalis and Twites Carduelis flavirostris wintering in the Wadden Sea. ''Bird Study'' 49 (3): 263-269. * Dierschke, J. (2003). Food preferences of shorelarks Eremophila alpestris, snow buntings Plectrophenax nivalis and twites Carduelis flavirostris wintering in the Wadden sea. ''Bird Study'' 50: 96-96. * Dolman, P. M. (1995). The intensity of interference varies with resource density: Evidence from a field study with snow buntings, Plectrophenax nivalis. ''Oecologia'' 102 (4): 511-514. * Espmark, Y. (1995). Individual and local variations in the song of the snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) on Spitsbergen. ''Bioacoustics'' 6 (2): 117-133. * Genero, F. (1991). Wintering of snow buntings Plectrophenax nivalis in the Carnic Alps. ''Rivista Italiana di Ornitologia'' 61 (3-4): 135-136. * Green, G . H., & Summers, R. W. (1975). Snow Bunting moult in northeast Greenland. ''Bird Study'' 22 (1): 9-17. * Groenwald, W. (1975). The Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis on the Baltic Sea Coast in June. ''Beiträge zur Vogelkunde'' 21: 6. * Hofstad, E., Espmark, Y., Moksnes, A., Haugan, T., & Ingebrigtsen, M. (2002). The relationship between song performance and male quality in snow buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis). ''Canadian Journal of Zoology'' 80 (3): 524-531. * Hopkins, J. R. (1985). Snow Bunting feeding on sea-slaters. ''British Birds'' 78 (11): 597-597. * Hoset, K. S., Espmark, Y., Moksnes, A., Haugan, T., Ingebrigtsen, M., & Lier, M. (2004). Effect of ambient temperature on food provisioning and reproductive success in snow buntings Plectrophenax nivalis in the high Arctic. ''Ardea'' 92 (2): 239-246. * Hussell, D. J. T. (1974). Photographic Records of Predation at Lapland Longspur and Snow Bunting Nests. ''Canadian Field Naturalist'' 88 (4): 503-506. * Hussell, D. J. T. (1985). On the Adaptive Basis for Hatching Asynchrony Brood Reduction Nest Failure and Asynchronous Hatching in Snow Buntings Plectrophenax nivalis. ''Ornis Scandinavica'' 16 (3): 205-212. * Jackson, J. A., & Cooley, C. D. (1978). Snow Bunting a New Species for Mississippi USA. ''American Birds'' 32 (2): 268-269. * Jaschke, K., & Kirsch, D. (1970). Observations of Plectrophenax nivalis in the Winter of 1969-1970. ''Ornithologische Mitteilungen'' 22: 10. * Jukema, J. (2005). How reliable are sex assignments of Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis skins in museum collections? ''Limosa'' 78 (2): 75-78. * Jukema, J., & Fokkema, J. (1992). Origin of Snow Buntings Plectrophenax nivalis Wintering in the Netherlands. ''Limosa'' 65 (2): 67-72. * Knochenmuss, F. (1970). Plectrophenax nivalis in the District of Torgau East Germany. ''Falke'' 17: 10. * Koller, J. (1971). Plectrophenax nivalis Winter Guest in Bavaria. ''Ornithologische Mitteilungen'' 23: 3. * Kukal, O., & Pattie, D. L. (1988). Colonization of Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis Nests by Bumblebees Bombus polaris in the High Arctic. ''Canadian Field Naturalist'' 102: 3. * Kumerloeve, H. (1970). On the Strong Migration of the Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis and More Observations on the Island Spiekeroog in the North Sea. ''Ornithologische Mitteilungen'' 21 (10): 213-215. * Lauermann, H. (1974). Plectrophenax nivalis near Horn Northern Austria. ''Egretta'' 17 (1): 39-40. * Lyon, B. E., & Montgomerie, R. D. (1985). Incubation Feeding in Snow Buntings Plectrophenax nivalis Female Manipulation or Indirect Male Parental Care. ''Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology'' 17 (3): 279-284. * Marzocchi, J. F. (1978). First Observation of the Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis New Record in Corsica France. ''Alauda'' 46 (1): 97-98. * Oeser, R. E. (1990). Meteorological Aspects of the Occurrence of the Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis L. in the Fichtelberg Region Germany. ''Beiträge zur Vogelkunde'' 36 (6): 327-333. * Oeser, R. E. (1984). The Wintering of the Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis in the Fichtelberg Area East Germany. ''Beiträge zur Vogelkunde'' 30 (3): 162-168. * Olioso, G. (1972). Winter Observations on Plectrophenax nivalis in Avignon. ''Alauda'' 40 (2): 171-174. * Olioso, G. (1973). Wintering of the Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis in Southern Mediterranean France. ''Alauda'' 41 (3): 227-232. * Orr, C. D., Gillis, D. J., & Valdron, L. G. (1980). Snow Buntings Plectrophenax nivalis, Lapland Longspurs Calcarius lapponicus and other Passerines in Davis Strait and Labrador Sea Canada 1977-1979. ''Canadian Field Naturalist'' 94 (2): 185-187. * Pandolfi, M. (1987). Wintering and Summering of the Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis in the Marches Italy. ''Rivista Italiana di Ornitologia'' 57 (1-2): 115-116. * Pannach, D. (1987). The Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis in Mala Fatra Slovakia, Czechoslovakia. ''Beiträge zur Vogelkunde'' 33 (2). * Rodland, J. T. & Iversen, A. (1970). Breeding Snow Bunting in Sor-Rogaland. ''Sterna'' 9 (3): 189-190. * Romero, L. M., Soma, K. K., O'Reilly, K. M., Suydam, R., & Wingfield, J. C. (1998). Hormones and territorial behavior during breeding in snow buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis): An Arctic breeding songbird. ''Hormones & Behavior'' 33 (1): 40-47. * Romero, L. M., Soma, K. K., & Wingfield, J. C. (1998). Changes in pituitary and adrenal sensitivities allow the snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis), an Arctic-breeding song bird, to modulate corticosterone release seasonally. ''Journal of Comparative Physiology B Biochemical Systemic & Environmental Physiology'' 168 (5): 353-358. * Rucner, D. (1971). Data on the Arrival of the Snow Finch Montifringilla nivalis and Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis in the Area of the Yugoslav Ornitho Fauna. ''Larus'' 2: 37-39. * Sandberg, R., Backman, J., & Ottosson, U. (1998). Orientation of snow buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis) close to the magnetic north pole. ''Journal of Experimental Biology'' 201 (12): 1859-1870. * Sandberg, R., & Pettersson, J. (1996). Magnetic orientation of snow buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis), a species breeding in the high Arctic: Passage migration through temperate zone areas. ''Journal of Experimental Biology'' 199 (9): 1899-1905. * Schnebel, G. (1968). Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis in Uelzen. ''Ornithologische Mitteilungen'' 20 (3). * Sealy, S. G. (1969). Apparent Hybridization between Snow Bunting and Mckays Bunting on St Lawrence Island, Alaska USA. ''Auk'' 86 (2): 350-351. * Smith, R. D. (1992). Age Determination Wing Feather Colour and Wing Length Change in Snow Buntings Plectrophenax nivalis. ''Ringing & Migration'' 13 (1): 43-51. * Smith, R. D. (1996). Racial composition of breeding and wintering snow buntings Plectrophenax nivalis in the north-east Scottish uplands. ''Ringing & Migration'' 17 (2): 123-136. * Smith, R. D., & Marquiss, M. (1995). Production and costs of nesting attempts in snow buntings Plectrophenax nivalis: Why do they attempt second broods? ''Ibis'' 137 (4): 469-476. * Smith, R. D., & Metcalfe, N. B. (1997). Why does dominance decline with age in wintering snow buntings?. ''Animal Behaviour'' 53: 313. * Straka, U. (1991). Contribution to the Occurrence of the Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis L. on Farmland of Lower Austria During the Winters of 1984-85 to 1988-89. ''Egretta'' 34 (1): 34-41. * Thiede, W. (1982). Snow Buntings Plectrophenax nivalis Roosting in the Snow. ''Ornis Fennica'' 59 (1): 37-38. * Watson, A. (1996). Scottish snow bunting Plectrophenax nivalis breeding and climate. ''Ornis Fennica'' 73 (3): 137-140. * Watson, A., & Smith, R. (1991). Scottish Snow Bunting Numbers in Summer 1970-1987. ''Scottish Birds'' 16 (2): 53-56. * Wingfield, J. C., Suydam, R., & Hunt, K. (1994). The adrenocortical responses to stress in snow buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis) and Lapland longspurs (Calcarius lapponicus) at Barrow, Alaska. ''Comparative Biochemistry & Physiology C Pharmacology Toxicology & Endocrinology'' 108 (3): 299-306. * Yngve, E. (1999). Song of the Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) in areas with and without sympatric passerines. ''Canadian Journal of Zoology'' 77 (9): 1385-1392. </div> --> [[Category:Plectrophenax]] [[Category:Birds of Europe]] [[Category:Birds of Canada|Bunting, Snow]] [[Category:Birds of the United States|Bunting, Snow]] [[Category:Native birds of Alaska|Bunting, Snow]] [[Category:Birds of Greenland]] [[Category:Birds of Turkey]] [[Category:British Isles coastal fauna|Bunting]] [[bg:Снежна овесарка]] [[sah:Туллук]] [[da:Snespurv]] [[de:Schneeammer]] [[fr:Bruant des neiges]] [[fy:Sniefink]] [[is:Snjótittlingur]] [[lt:Sniegstartė]] [[hu:Hósármány]] [[nl:Sneeuwgors]] [[ja:ユキホオジロ]] [[no:Snøspurv]] [[nn:Snøsporv]] [[pl:Śnieguła]] [[ru:Пуночка]] [[fi:Pulmunen]] [[sv:Snösparv]] [[tr:Kar kiraz kuşu]]