Snow Bunting

Plectrophenax nivalis

General Status Rank: 
Secure
ELCODE: 
ABPBXA8010
Common Name: 
Snow Bunting
Scientific Name: 
Plectrophenax nivalis
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Taxonomy
Group: 
Bird
Kingdom: 
Animalia
Phylum: 
Chordata
Class: 
Aves
Order: 
Passeriformes
Family: 
Calcariidae
References: 
ASC13
General Biology

Economic/Human Considerations

Non-game species
References: 
H129
Habitat
rocky shores and tundra
References: 
B004
H129
Distribution

Ecozones

Arctic Cordillera, Northern Arctic, Southern Arctic, Taiga Cordillera, Taiga Shield
References: 
B004

Distribution

0.14 Range extent mostly contained in BCR 3 (only including breeding range, not range from non-breeding season). (Canadian Wildlife Service – Prairie & Northern Region 2009. Bird distributions in Nunavut & the Northwest Territories: 2009 Review.)
Score: 
F
References: 
B004
Winter Distribution Description: 
southern Canada to central US

Number of Occurrences

Over 900 observations (breeding season and winter) in the NWT/NU Bird Checklist Survey database
Score: 
E
References: 
LA20

Historical Distribution

Likely similar to current dist.
References: 
H129

Area of Occupancy

stable? Need data to confirm for NWT
Score: 
-
References: 
LWR01
LA12
W115
Population

Population Size

Not enough data to generate population estimates for this species through either PIF (DD16 Accessed on <January 25, 2015>.) or PRISM (Canadian Wildlife Service – Prairie & Northern Region 2009. Interim Arctic PRISM results. Unpublished Data.)
References: 
DD16
Trends

Trends

National trend = decline, need data to confirm for NWT (LWR01); Evidence for decline is not strong, as Christmas Bird Count (CBC) has various biases and analyses are not up to date. (LA12) Christmas Bird Count is the only survey to monitor this species but the precision of the data is low and the results can not be extrapolated to specific breeding regions. The data should be interpreted with caution. Data suggest a 8.9% decrese over the last 10 years or -0.9% per year (W115).
Score: 
G
References: 
LWR01
LA12
W115
Threats

Threats

Little human disturbance. Magnitude of the threats from climate change hard to predict. Overall, threats are thought to be low for this species currently.
Score: 
C
References: 
H307

Intrinsic Vulnerability

Limited effects of climate change likely in next 10 yrs
Score: 
-
References: 
H307
General Status Rank
Rank: 
Secure
Status Rank Description: 
Over 900 observations (breeding season and winter) in the NWT/NU Bird Checklist Survey database; trend in population is weak; Very little data on the status of this species. But low threats and appear secure.
S Rank: 
S4
Decision Process Description: 
Drafted by Leslie Wakelyn and S. Carriere mostly based on printed material in 2000; Modified by Craig Machtans and L. Armer - based on printed material, observations in the NWT Bird Checklist Survey and some field research.; Reviewed in 2010;no change; Reviewed by Emily Upham-Mills CWS in 2015, suggested change to undetermined, but kept as secure (SC 2015 based on S4)
Last Updated: 
February 4, 2015

References

Area of Occupancy

  • Downes, C.M., E.H. Dunn and C.M Francis (2000) Canadian Landbird Monitoring Strategy: monitoring needs and priorities into the new millenium.. Partners in Flight - Canada A 9-15 EC-CWS, Yellowknife (L. Wakelyn) - or communicate with Erica H. Dunn, CWS in Hull, QC, at erica.dunn@ec,gc,ca - LWR01 Return
  • Dunn, E. (2005) National Action Needs for Canadian Landbird Conservation, Version 1. Canadian Wildlife Service Landbird Committee, Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa, Canada http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/birds/action/index_e.cfm - LA12 Return
  • Environment Canada (2011) Data-version 2011. Environment Canada, Gatineau, Quebec, K1A 0H3) - W115 Return

Economic Status

  • Wakelyn, Leslie (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife biologist, CWS, Yellowknife - H129 Return

Ecozones

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return

Habitat

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return
  • Wakelyn, Leslie (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife biologist, CWS, Yellowknife - H129 Return

Historical Distribution

  • Wakelyn, Leslie (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife biologist, CWS, Yellowknife - H129 Return

Intrinsic Vulnerability

  • Emily Upham-Mills and Rhiannon Pankratz (2015) e-copy - H307 Return

NWT Known Subspecies

Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return

Number of Occurrences

  • Canadian Wildlife Service (2005) NWT/NU Bird Checklist Survey database. Environment Canada / Canadian Wildlife Service Yellowknife http://www.pnr-rpn.ec.gc.ca/nature/migratorybirds/nwtbcs/index.en.html - LA20 Return

Population Size

Partners in Flight Science Committee 2013. Population Estimates Database, version 2013. Available at http://rmbo.org/pifpopestimates. Accessed on <January 25, 2015>. (2013) http://rmbo.org/pifpopestimates - DD16 Return

Range Extent

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return

Short Term Trends

  • Downes, C.M., E.H. Dunn and C.M Francis (2000) Canadian Landbird Monitoring Strategy: monitoring needs and priorities into the new millenium.. Partners in Flight - Canada A 9-15 EC-CWS, Yellowknife (L. Wakelyn) - or communicate with Erica H. Dunn, CWS in Hull, QC, at erica.dunn@ec,gc,ca - LWR01 Return
  • Dunn, E. (2005) National Action Needs for Canadian Landbird Conservation, Version 1. Canadian Wildlife Service Landbird Committee, Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa, Canada http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/birds/action/index_e.cfm - LA12 Return
  • Environment Canada (2011) Data-version 2011. Environment Canada, Gatineau, Quebec, K1A 0H3) - W115 Return

Taxonomy

  • Chesser, R. Terry, Richard C. Banks, F. Keith Barker, Carla Cicero, Jon L. Dunn, Andrew W. Kratter, Irby J. Lovette, Pamela C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, James D. Rising, Douglas F. Stotz, Kevin Winker. (2010) Fifty-first supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-List of North American Birds.. Auk 127(3):726-744. - ASC13 Return

Threats

  • Emily Upham-Mills and Rhiannon Pankratz (2015) e-copy - H307 Return