Roadsides are Snow Bunting Country

By Kevin Strauss, Northwoods Naturalist

When most people think about birds migrating in the fall, they think about
Minnesota birds flying south to Missouri, Texas, Mexico or Central America. We
usually forget that the "frozen tundra" of northern Minnesota might seem
downright balmy to birds from the real tundra of northern Canada.

Last weekend I saw small flocks of snow buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis) on the
roadsides. This circumpolar bird breeds further north than any other land bird.
They often get the common name "snowflakes," because the sparrow-sized birds
have white on their wings, bellies and throats. In winter, they have brown caps
and backs.

Snow buntings breed in the northern edge of Canada, the coast of Greenland and
the northern and western edges of Alaska, but they winter in southern Canada
and the northern United States. When snow buntings breed, the female lays the
eggs in a cup nest of grass, fur and feathers concealed among rocks and the
sparse tundra vegetation. The female incubates the eggs, but the male brings
her food.

While it may seem difficult for birds to make a living on the summer tundra,
scientists remind us that even though the tundra might seem sparse, the summer
insect population explodes every year, and there are fewer bird species that
live there, meaning less competition for food and nesting sites. When they move
south, starting in October, snow bunting flocks can range from 20 to more than
100, and they aren’t exclusive — longspurs and horned larks may join up as well
— but it is the snow buntings that make up the bulk of the flock. We most often
see them when our cars scare them up from roadsides. The birds circle a few
times before settling back down to search for seeds.

Armed with their insulating downy feathers, most birds could survive even the
cold Minnesota winters, but the key is finding enough food. Many weeds and
grasses keep their seeds all winter long, providing snow buntings with an
above-ground food source. These birds can fluff their feathers to stay warm,
and by eating seeds they have the energy to shiver in cold temperatures. Other
times, they will bury themselves in fluffy snow to stay warm. They are ground
feeders, so you won’t see them at tube bird feeders. They prefer wide open
fields and roadsides.

The Ely Timberjay