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The Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)
is of the longspur family Calcariidae which is in the genus Plectrophenax. This circumpolar species breeds mainly in the arctic mountainous regions of North America and Eurasia. Isolated populations also breed south of this range in upland areas.
Apart from small numbers breeding in the Cairngorm Mountains in Scotland, this is an uncommon and local winter visitor, from October to March, at coastal
locations in Britain and Ireland. It occurs
singularly or in small flocks at shingle beeches near the edges of sand dunes, harbour piers and
headlands. Feeding close to the ground, it can be easily overlooked and
difficult to locate as
cryptic colouration helps it blend into the background.
Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) distribution map
Breeding Migration Resident Non breeding-winter
Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Breeding Migration Resident Non breeding-winter
Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
