Birds of North AmericaSnow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalis
Life, Habitat & Pictures of the Snow Bunting
Written by: Bruce Di Labio French: Bruant des neiges Circumpolar in its distribution, the Snow Bunting spends most of its life on the rocky tundra in northern North America. It migrates in the fall to southern Canada and northern United States where it is referred to as the harbinger of winter.
Snow Buntings typically travel in large flocks as they fly up and over open fields, swirling through the air like snowflakes- hence its local nickname “Snowflake”.
During the winter months, it feeds mainly on seeds and grasses found in open fields or manure piles. In early spring, flocks begin their migration northward, typically in March and by mid- April most have left the south. For those living in the Arctic the return of the Snow Bunting marks the beginning of spring.
Males arrive first to stake out territories followed by females. Like many prairie species, the male Snow Bunting has a territorial and courtship flight display. Their nest, which is made of grasses, mosses, and lined with hair and feathers is placed deep in cavities, crevices or cracks in cliffs. The Snow Bunting is one of a few species that has been recorded at the North Pole.
Return Snow Bunting back to Buntings Classic Collection of North American Birds
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