The Snow Bunting is an abundant species that breeds in the arctic tundra throughout the Northern Hemisphere and winters throughout Canada and the northern United States. Results from the Christmas Bird Count suggest a large decrease in the population relative to 1970, though poor precision in the trend estimate means this assessment is considered to have medium reliability. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.
Reasons for the apparent decline in Snow Bunting populations across North America are not well known. However one possible explanation may be the species' shift in winter distribution as a result of climate change (Montgomerie and Lyon 2011). Recent studies show that the reproductive success of Snow Buntings is closely related to regional and local climate (Fossøy et al. 2015). As climate change continues, fluctuations in arctic weather, especially precipitation, will likely continue to affect the Snow Bunting, as well as other passerine species (Baugh 2017).
Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:
Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.
