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Image:IMG 8782 1-bf.jpg|Photo by {{user|Mahsleb|Mahsleb}}<br />East Mersea, November 2009 | Image:IMG 8782 1-bf.jpg|Photo by {{user|Mahsleb|Mahsleb}}<br />East Mersea, November 2009 | ||
Image:IMG 5985ddo.JPG|Photo by {{user|IanF|IanF }}<br />North Gare Pier, Seaton Carew, [[Cleveland]], [[UK]], November 2008 | Image:IMG 5985ddo.JPG|Photo by {{user|IanF|IanF }}<br />North Gare Pier, Seaton Carew, [[Cleveland]], [[UK]], November 2008 | ||
| − | Image:snow_bunting_peterday.jpg| | + | Image:snow_bunting_peterday.jpg|Female<br />Photo by {{user|peterday|peterday}}<br />St. Paul Island, The Pribilofs, [[Alaska]], July 2017 |
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==Taxonomy== | ==Taxonomy== | ||
Revision as of 03:55, 29 July 2017
- Plectrophenax nivalis
Identification
15-18 cm.
Breeding
Male
- Black back, legs, wing tips and bill
- Rest of plumage white
Female
- Greyish-black back
- Brown crown and cheeks
- White wing patch
Winter
- Tawny-brown back
- Gingery-buff crown, cheeks and chest patches
- Buff underparts
- Black-tipped yellow bill
Similar species
McKay's Bunting in Alaska is very similar but generally whiter.
Distribution
Found on the tundra of the northern hemisphere in North America and Eurasia. Winter visitor in Britain & Ireland (mostly mid Sep-Apr), mainly from Scandinavia and Greenland, but small numbers breed in Scotland.
Photo by Mahsleb
East Mersea, November 2009
Taxonomy
Four subspecies recognized:
- P. n. nivalis in North America and northern Europe
- P. n. insulae on Iceland
- P. n. vlasowae in northeast Asia
- P. n. townsendi on western Aleutian islands and some east Siberian island.
Habitat
Breeds on tundra in the north and on high mountain tops with similar habitat further south. Winters largely on sandy and shingle coasts, salt marsh and rough coastal fields.
Behaviour
Diet
The diet includes weed and grass seeds, and insects.
Breeding
It builds an open cup of moss and grass, lined with fine grasses, rootlets, and fur and feathers which is placed well back in cavity in rocks, such as cracks.
The clutch consists of 2-7 creamy white, with variable brown spots and scrawls.
Vocalisation
<flashmp3>Plectrophenax nivalis (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
References
- Birdwatchers Pocket Guide ISBN 1-85732-804-3
- Wikipedia
External Links
