Snow Bunting Birds
Today, I was able to capture snow bunting birds on camera. Snow buntings are birds of the high Arctic that visit us during the winter months..
Snow Bunting Birds
A snow bunting is a winter bird that only comes back to Wisconsin during the cold winter months.. The birds primary color markings are black, a peach coloring, white breast with yellow orange beak with a black tip.
Qualities Of The Bird
- Medium sized passerine bird.
- Primary non-breeding colors black,white and peachy sort of color.
- Yellowish orange beak with black tip.
- Loves cold weather.
- Can be found eating from ground feeders or under feeder.
- Loves to walk, hop & jump on ground.
Males
Males in winter are mainly white below, mottled white, black, and chestnut above, with the wings mainly white, but tipped with clear black.
Females
The females are similar to males, but the black of wings duller, and only two outer pairs of tail feathers mainly white. Toward spring the amount of brown decreases and the black and white become purer and more prominent.
When Do You See Them & Where?
In Wisconsin, they arrive in late fall to spend the winter with us, remaining until March or April.
- Generally seen in flocks in farm fields, along lake shores, roadsides and once in awhile at a feeder.
The birds photographed are in non-breeding plumage. Breeding plumage differs vastly. Living in Wisconsin, I will never see snow bunting birds in breeding plumage.
Skittish Birds
They are most difficult for people to photograph because they are skittish birds. It is difficult to get them outside of a group. Once the group spots you, then all scatter.
Thankfully, I believe they had all just arrived for the season and were tired. The snow bunting birds were foraging the rocky shoreline of the Bay of Green Bay. This afforded me the ability to finally get a picture.
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