Photo: Amasuela - Luis Lafuente Agudín / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Snow Bunting
Plectrophenax nivalis
Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) is a member of the Calcariidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Adults weigh 42.2 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Calcariidae Longspurs, Snow Buntings
- Genus Plectrophenax
- Species nivalis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 42.2 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Calcariidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Snow Bunting is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Snow Bunting is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) is a member of the Calcariidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Its distribution covers NA, PAL n.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 42.2 g, with a wing length of about 10.7 cm and a tail of around 6.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 6.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Snow Bunting?
The Snow Bunting is a small bird that weighs around 42.2 g.
Where does the Snow Bunting live?
The Snow Bunting is found across Europe & Northern Asia and North America with a range covering NA, PAL n, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Snow Bunting belong to?
The Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) belongs to the Calcariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Snow Bunting eat?
The Snow Bunting is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Snow Bunting migrate?
The Snow Bunting is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Snow Bunting endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Snow Bunting make?
1 real field recording of the Snow Bunting — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Snow Bunting's range?
The Snow Bunting has a mapped global range of about 6.8 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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