Snowbirds Come to Minnesota for Winter Food
by Kevin Strauss

We often think of “bird migration” in terms of robins, hummingbirds and nighthawks flying south from Minnesota in the fall. But some birds actually migrate south to Minnesota from their summer breeding grounds above the arctic circle.

Over the past week, I have noticed flocks of brown and white sparrow-like birds feeding on the ground around town. Those energetic birds are snow buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis). Their species name “nivalis” is Latin for “snowy” and probably referring to the white patches on their wings and the white of their bellies. These seven-inch-long birds visit the area in winter flocks of 10-20, but some flocks have been reported numbering in the thousands.

Snow buntings are primarily ground feeders, searching for seeds in the winter. They are primarily a rural species, but do wander into small towns in search of seeds from time to time. Since snow bunting flocks are always in search of food, they may suddenly appear in withered gardens and weed-infested fields after a snowstorm to feed on the seeds of taller plants that protrude above the snow. Then just as quickly, they might move on in search of other food sources.

Snow buntings are forced south not by the severe cold and deep snow cover so much as the deprivation of its food source, frozen under the snow. Snow bunting flocks arrive in northeastern Minnesota in early November and depart in April for breeding grounds in the northern coast and northern islands of Canada. They appear content playing and singing during snow storms when the temperature is thirty degrees below zero.

Because they tend to congregate in rural areas with tall grass, few people seem to notice the presence of these birds. When seen in flight snow buntings are usually in loose flocks flying low over the countryside like scattered snowflakes. “Snowflake” and “snowbird” are other common names for this species.
Snow bunting predators include red foxes, gyrfalcons and snowy owls, but the snow bunting’s greatest enemy is probably the weather. Arctic researchers have reported that hundreds have died in a late spring storm when snow and ice covered their seed food sources, but didn’t provide deep enough snow for shelter.

Snow buntings seem able to survive temperatures as cold as -40 F, but they burrow into snowdrifts, if available, when temperatures drop to -35 F. During the night, snow buntings roost on the ground either singly or in groups in the shelter of rocks or grass clumps or buried in the relative warmth of fluffy new snow. If the snow is hard or covered with an icy crust, buntings gather together for warmth.
So the next time that you think the weather is cold in northern Minnesota, keep in mind that this is the “sunny south” for birds like the hardy snow bunting.

The Ely Timberjay