Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis
This delightful winter visitor must be one of the world's hardiest songbirds. Yet despite its attractive, white-patterned plumage, flocks of the species still have a real knack of blending into their beach, shingle or saltmarsh surroundings.
Conservation status in Norfolk
Some indications of declines as a wintering bird but numbers variable from year to year. Climate change and global warming may be affecting their breeding habitats adversely as this is a northern breeder relying on open tundra and mountain habitats. In Britain this bird is restricted to high Scottish mountain tops for breeding.
How to help
Constant disturbance of flocks of snow buntings by birdwatchers and walkers on the Norfolk coast may reduce the time birds can spend feeding. You can help snow buntings by avoiding disturbing flocks in winter and not approaching birds too closely. In the longer term this species is threatened on its breeding grounds by global climate change and supporting initiatives to reduce our impact on climate can only benefit this and many other Arctic breeding species.
Steve Bond
Information on the Snow Bunting
How to recognise
Snow buntings are winter visitors to Norfolk and in flight the males are unlikely to be mistaken for other finches or buntings because of the amount of white that shows on their wings and tail. The white inner wing patch contrasts with dark wing tips. First year birds and females show less white having a mixture of browns, greys and blacks in their plumage. At rest on beach, shingle or saltmarsh they have a disconcerting ability to vanish, being well camouflaged, their presence betrayed only by the movements of feeding birds. The soft purring flight call is distinctive but not loud, so easily missed.
Where to see
This is a migratory species and birds may be seen anywhere along the Norfolk coast and much more rarely inland, especially on heathland sites. One of the best places to see snow buntings in winter is the shingle ridge at NWT Cley and Salthouse Marshes. Other good sites include the beach at RSPB Titchwell Marsh, Holkham Bay and Caister-on-Sea. Photographers in recent years have put grain out near the beach car park at Salthouse and this does allow close views of this species when food has been provided.
When to see
Individuals generally arrive along the Norfolk coast from October with numbers building up during November. Many depart as early as February and it is not common to see birds after March. Numbers vary considerably from year to year.
Did you know?
The snow buntings that visit Norfolk are of two different races. The majority are thought to come from Iceland P.n. insulae with others P. n. nivalis from Greenland and Scandinavia. Snow buntings often feed on seeds of saltmarsh plants washed up along strand lines and if you sit quietly birds will sometimes approach very closely.
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