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Snow Bunting

Status Common in winter. They usually first arrive from the north in October (average 18 October, earliest 23 September). From late October to late March large flocks may be found, usually in low-lying coastal regions but sometimes inland in agricultural areas. A massive flock of about 1,000 birds was seen on the Grand Pre dyke on 5 and 6 February 1984. Generally, large flocks are not seen after mid-April; an exception was a large movement near Dingwall, Victoria County, on 12-13 May 1977, during a late snowstorm. Latest birds are normally in April, but stragglers occur in May (average 24 April, latest 21 May, on Sable Island).

Description Length: 15-18.5 cm. Adult male in winter: Crown patch, ear patch, rump and sides cinnamon in various saturations; mark on wing below shoulder black; primaries black, basally white; black mark on outer tail feathers largely white, inner ones black; back cinnamon, dotted with black; rest of plumage white. Adult female in winter: Similar but more black in tail and more cinnamon on back, wings and flanks.

Range Circumpolar. In North America, breeds from northern Alaska, Prince Patrick Island, northern Ellesmere Island and northern Greenland, south to northern Quebec, central Keewatin, central Mackenzie Valley and northern British Columbia. Winters in southern Canada and the northern and central United States.

Remarks During open winters when snowfall is light they remain on the coastal lowlands throughout the season and, because such areas are usually remote from human thoroughfares, few people know of their presence. When storms of mid-winter bring heavy snow they suddenly appear about our withered gardens and weed-infested fields, where they feed on the seeds of taller plants that protrude above the snow. At such times their coming never fails to excite comment from observers who, assuming that the "snow-birds" have just flown here from the northland, marvel at how they so accurately time their arrival with that of the heavy snow.

When seen in flight they are usually in loose flocks drifting over the countryside like scattered snowflakes, often mingled with Horned Larks, from which they are distinguishable by their lighter colours and the large area of white on their wings.

The buntings moult their buff and white winter plumage during their journey north. By the time they reach the treeless wastes of the arctic tundra to breed under the glare of continuous daylight, their plumage has changed to a sharply contrasting black and white.