Winter Visitors from the Arctic

Overview

During the winter, many open fields in Vermont will see large flocks of Snow Buntings dancing around like snowflakes. Snow Buntings are the northernmost breeding songbirds in the world. During the summer, they live in the high Arctic and have a white and black plumage. During the winter, they migrate in large flocks south to the northern parts of the United States, Canada, and Europe and can be found in open, snowy landscapes. Unlike their summer plumage, they are brownish-white in the winter.

Conservation

While Snow Buntings have a large population and are common within their range, they face threats from habitat loss in their wintering areas due to human development in the open fields they need. In addition, warmer temperatures in the Arctic can trigger an earlier insect season which misaligns with the bird's need for food during nesting season leading to a lower survival rate for chicks.