Buntings in the snow
By Neville James-Davies
Mallorca is seeing a good mix of rarer birds at the moment, with a Great Northern Diver reported from Cala Gamba and a Pallid Harrier also reported on the island. A wintering Montagu’s Harrier at the Albufera is no doubt entertaining the birdwatchers as is an unseasonal Roller there. Penduline Tits have been reported from a small reserve in Magalluf and a Snow Bunting – my feature bird today was seen at Maria de la Salut.
The Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) is a rare vagrant on Mallorca, with one previously reported at Cuber, but I suspect several are undetected in the winter here. The genus name Plectrophenax is from Ancient Greek ‘plektron’ meaning ‘cock’s spur’, and ‘phenax’ meaning ‘imposter’. The specific
‘nivalis’ is Latin for ‘snow white’. No other passerine can winter as far north as this species except the Raven. Flocks of Snow Buntings are often called ‘snowflakes’, one minute they can be feeding on the ground and the next they are in the air showing a flash of brilliant white. On the ground they adopt a horizontal stance and run as if powered by clockwork.
The length is 16 cm with a wingspan of 32 – 38 cm and a weight of 30 – 40 g. They breed on the Arctic tundra, and in the winter they feed amongst the grassland or coastal areas. The voice is a rapid trilling and a mix of tinkling calls. In autumn and winter the plumage of the adult can be variable and the back and the nape always appears an orange-brown. They often show a buffishorange on the cap and cheeks and as a breast band. The underparts are always white and the bill yellow. In flight they show a considerable amount of white on the wings and tail in all plumages. Even from a distance with their variable colour, the yellow bill is always a reliable identification feature.
Food consists of seeds and invertebrates and this is why I believe they may be overlooked, as they can be seen high up in the mountain areas, amongst the slopes and sometimes out of range of where the birdwatcher will be walking, and other times they can equally be seen amongst the shingle of beaches, seeking out invertebrates, where they can blend in incredibly well with the pebbles and washed-up Neptune Grass and seaweeds. They can be obliging birds and will sometimes allow a close approach. I have been walking elsewhere and suddenly been surprised at a flock of Snow Buntings taking flight at the last moment, they just blended in so well amongst the pebbles and vegetation that I almost missed them.
Right before the breeding season, no matter where they are wintering, they must undergo a significant psychological change ready for their return journey to the Arctic regions. The most obvious change is their body weight, where they undergo a process known as hyperphagia (an increased food intake). They build up the overall fat mass by 30% with their lean mass decreasing to 15%. Their pectoralis muscles also increase so that they can promote thermogenesis – shivering through muscle contraction. Remarkable little birds and great to observe.
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