Snow Bunting

Plectrophenax nivalis

The Snow Bunting is a winter visitor to South Dakota.  They are most easily observed after a fresh snowfall, where they can often be found foraging along the edges of roads, often in mixed flocks with Horned Larks and Lapland Longspurs.  Starkly white with black patches in the summer (males), they become duller with pale brown and white coloring during their winter visits to the state.  Strongly preferring their summer Arctic habitat, they are generally very late to arrive in the winter, and very early to leave in the spring.  Males usually leave a month before the females in the spring to establish breeding territories, arriving on the breeding grounds when it's often still extremely cold.

Habitat: Summer habitat is the northern Arctic tundra, preferably in areas with rocky outcrops.  In winter, they  can be found in a wide variety of open habitats, including farmland, shortgrass prairie, and shorelines.

Diet: Primarily seeds and insects, with seeds making up a large portion of the diet in all seasons.  Will also occasionally feed on leaves and buds, and on small crustaceans and mollusks in coastal areas.

Behavior: Forages by walking on the ground. 

Breeding: Non-breeder in South Dakota

Song: Repeated series of strong high trilling notes. 

Migration: Summers in Arctic.  Winters in much of Canada and the northern half of the U.S.

Similar Species: McKay's Bunting (not found in South Dakota).

Status: Breeding range is generally beyond most human influence.  Widespread and common.

Further Information: 1) USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter, Snow Bunting

2) Cornell Lab of Ornithology - Snow Bunting

3) eNature.com: Snow Bunting

Photo Information: December 2nd, 2005 - Near Corson, South Dakota - Terry Sohl

Additional Photos: Click on the image chips or text links below for additional, higher-resolution Snow Bunting photos.