Snow Bunting

Plectrophenax nivalis

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Brief #

Male's bill is yellow with a black tip, and is all black in summer. Black & white upperparts and white underparts.

Synonyms #

  • Escribano nival (Spanish)
  • Escribenta das neves (Galician)

Red List Status #

The Snow Bunting is unlikely to become extinct in the near future.
Find out more about IUCN's Red List program here

Description #

The bill is yellow with a black tip, and is all black in summer for males. The plumage is white in the underparts and the wings and back have black and white on them. The female and male have a different plumage. During the breeding season, the male is white with black wingtips and a black back, while the female has black wingtips and a rufous back. During the winter, they will both have a rufous colouration in the back.

Measurements #

Length: 16 - 17 cm
Wingspan: 32 - 38 cm
Weight: 28 - 50 g

Similar species #