Birds · Passeriformes · Calcariidae

Snow Bunting

Plectrophenax nivalis

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The snow bunting is the passerine that breeds furthest north on the planet: there are breeding populations in northern Greenland and on the northernmost Arctic islands. The male in summer is pure black and white, a contrast that makes him unmistakable against snow and rock. It nests in crevices and scree, an essential refuge at those temperatures, and in winter it moves down to coasts and fields across northern Eurasia and North America.

Weight

30 g – 45 g

Size

15 cm – 18 cm

Lifespan

10 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

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Fun facts

It is the passerine that breeds furthest north in the world: it has been recorded breeding above 83 degrees north, a few hundred kilometres from the pole.
The males arrive on the breeding grounds up to a month before the females, enduring temperatures of thirty degrees below zero, to secure the best crevices to nest in.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Arctic tundra, scree and rocky summits; winters on coasts, dunes and fields of northern Eurasia
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: 12 days
Litter / clutch size: 5

Sources consulted: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_bunting