snow bunting

bird

Also known as: Plectrophenax nivalis

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Last updated

July 15, 2026

Quick Summary

The snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) is a white bunting with black or brown markings on its upperparts. This bird breeds in arctic regions and migrates to northern parts of North America and Eurasia for winter. It is sometimes referred to as a "winter bunting".12

Snow buntings belong to the genus Plectrophenax, which includes hardy songbirds of the Arctic. They are known for their flocks that appear to swirl through the air before settling on winter fields. The snow bunting is described as the whitest North American songbird.3

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bunting
They include the snow bunting (P. nivalis), sometimes called “snowflake,” as their flocks seem to swirl through the air and then settle on winter fields. The whitest North American songbird, McKay’s bunting (P. hyperboreus), nests on the remote Bering Sea islands of St. Matthew and Hall.
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They include the snow bunting (P. nivalis), sometimes called “snowflake,” as their flocks seem to swirl through the air and then settle on winter fields. The whitest North American songbird, McKay’s bunting (P. hyperboreus), nests on the remote Bering Sea islands of St. Matthew and Hall.
Read More