• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Justification of Red List category
This species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km² combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size may be moderately small to large, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Population justification
Based on surveys conducted across its restricted breeding range on St Matthew and Hall islands, the global population was estimated to number 27,500-35,400 mature individuals (Matsuoka and Johnson 2008).

Trend justification
The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Plectrophenax hyperboreus breeds on the Hall and St Matthew islands (totalling 300 km²) in the Bering Sea, U.S.A., and occasionally on St Lawrence and probably St Paul islands. It winters along the west Alaska coast from Kotzebue to the tip of the Alaska Peninsula, irregularly on the south coast of Alaska, occasionally to the Aleutian Islands and accidentally in British Columbia, Canada, and Washington and Oregon, U.S.A.

On the breeding grounds, the species inhabits vegetated and rocky tundra, mostly in coastal lowlands, and typically nests on shingle beaches. It winters on coastal marshes, shingle beaches and agricultural fields with exposed vegetation.

Although under no immediate threat, the species is potentially susceptible to predation by introduced mammals, such as rats Rattus spp. or weasels Mustela spp. After being first observed in 1997 on St Matthew Island, Red Foxes Vulpes vulpes have now established a breeding population on the island. As of 2012, they had completely suppressed or displaced the native Arctic Foxes Vulpes lagopus (H. Renner in litt. 2013). It has been hypothesised that McKay's Bunting will be little affected by the shift from Arctic Foxes to Red Foxes on St Matthew Island, mainly because the species is present and abundant over the entire island, but also because it uses diverse, secure habitats and nests in crevices (H. Renner in litt. 2013).

Conservation Actions Underway
This species's range islands are in part protected by the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge (Matsuoka and Johnson 2008). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service visits the islands every 5-10 years, but this is typically timed for seabird studies and thus usually too late to study nesting McKay’s Buntings. (H. Renner in litt. 2013).

Conservation Actions Proposed
A survey of the breeding grounds is needed to determine population density and to assess whether populations are stable or threatened. Ensure continued protection of the breeding grounds.

Text account compilers
Hermes, C.

Contributors
Renner, H., Symes, A., O'Brien, A., Isherwood, I., Bird, J., Capper, D., Khwaja, N. & Taylor, J.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: McKay's Bunting Plectrophenax hyperboreus. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/mckays-bunting-plectrophenax-hyperboreus on 26/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 26/12/2024.