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Bird Photos: Rarities: Snow Bunting
This arctic breeder is quite rare in Central California.
In the fall-winter season of 2003-2004, a significant number wandered
into the state, as there seemed to be more than a typical number
of reports. This bird was found at the Clifton Court Forebay in
Eastern Contra Costa County by Akira So. I photographed it on
3/5/04.
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These attractive sparrow
allies are notable, in part, for their wear-molt in which
they develop their spring breeding plumage by wearing off
the white edges to their black covert feathers. This bird
still had these white edges which gave its back a scalloped
appearance. The wings are very long on this species. Wing
length is often correlated with long-distance migration,
however, this species doesn't typically winter further south
than the middle tier of states in the U.S.
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Males and females appear
more similar in winter than spring plumage. The winter plumage
has a lot of rusty wash and marks over the body. Both sexes
have a yellow bill in winter. |
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One of the characteristics
separating males and females in this plumage is the shape
of the black centers of the scapular feathers (Rising, 2002).
These feathers include the lowest row of black feathers
on the side of the bird that extend from the shoulder area
back about a third of the way above the wing. On males,
these black centers are round, as in this bird. Additionally,
the extensively white greater coverts, which appear as a
broad white panel on the folded wing, is a characteristic
of a male. Winter-plumaged females have pointy black centered
scapulars and dark bases to the greater (secondary) coverts.
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Determining the age and sex
of Snow Buntings in winter plumage is tricky. Many of the
details that help determining this are not easily seen on
a bird in the field. This bird appears to be an adult male
because of the extensive white wing panel and the general
lack of buffy feather edging, although there is a row of
mantle feathers that are edged in buff. |
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As a comparison, this is
a probable female in winter plumage, photographed by Kathy
Robertson on 1/27/04(?) at the San Leandro Shoreline near
the Marina on the Eastshore of San Francisco Bay. What little
is visible of the first row of scapulars appears to show
a pointy black center. The base of a few of the greater
coverts are dark. The greater amount of black in the primary
coverts (the blackish tips are showing to the right and
just below the broad white tips of the greater coverts)
may make this a first-winter female. But these features
are difficult to see without a clear view of a spread wing.
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As a further comparison, this
is an adult male that I photographed on 6/8/03 near Nome,
Alaska. White edging to the mantle feathers are nearly worn
off making the back appear almost solid black. The bill is
entirely black. |
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I photographed this female Snow
Bunting in the company of the male, above, also on 6/8/03
near Nome, Alaska. Note the streaks on the crown and dusky
facial marks, as well as the dark bases to the greater coverts
making the white wing patch less extensive. The less-than-black
back feathers and bill (paleness on the base of the lower
bill), along with the above characteristics, all fit the female
spring-summer plumage. |
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References
Rising, J. D., and David Beadle. 2002. Sparrows
of the United States and Canada, The Photographic Guide.
Academic Press Natural World, San Diego, CA.
Pyle, Peter. 1997. Identification Guide
to North American Birds. Part I, Columbidae to Ploceidae.
Slate Creek Press, Bolinas, CA. |
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PERMISSION TO DO SO. You may create links to these pages.
All images on this page are copyrighted by Les Chibana.
If you'd like to contact me about images on these pages,
grab the pigeon on the left and send a note. |
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