Data Zone
Taxonomic note
Taxonomic source(s)
AERC TAC. 2003. AERC TAC Checklist of bird taxa occurring in Western Palearctic region, 15th Draft. Available at: http://www.aerc.eu/DOCS/Bird_taxa_of_the_WP15.xls.
AERC TAC. 2003. AERC TAC Checklist of bird taxa occurring in Western Palearctic region, 15th Draft. Available at: http://www.aerc.eu/DOCS/Bird_taxa_of_the_WP15.xls.
Cramp, S. and Perrins, C.M. 1977-1994. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The birds of the western Palearctic. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Cramp, S.; Perrins, C. M. 1977-1994. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The birds of the western Palearctic. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A., Fishpool, L.D.C., Boesman, P. and Kirwan, G.M. 2016. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
| Critically Endangered | Endangered | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
| Year | Category | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Least Concern | |
| 2012 | Least Concern | |
| 2009 | Least Concern | |
| 2008 | Least Concern | |
| 2004 | Least Concern | |
| 2000 | Lower Risk/Least Concern | |
| 1994 | Lower Risk/Least Concern | |
| 1988 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | does not normally occur in forest |
| Land-mass type | Average mass | 42 g |
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) | 43,400,000 km2 | medium |
| Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) | 61,700,000 km2 | medium |
| Severely fragmented? | no | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population size | unknown | poor | estimated | 2009 |
| Population trend | decreasing | - | estimated | - |
| Generation length | 3.9 years | - | - | - |
Population justification: The global population is estimated to number > c.40,000,000 individuals (Rich et al. 2004). The European population is estimated at 1,230,000-2,310,000 pairs, which equates to 2,470,000-4,630,000 mature individuals (BirdLife International 2015). Europe forms approximately 20% of the global range, so a very preliminary estimate of the global population size is 12,350,000-23,150,000 mature individuals, although further validation of this estimate is needed.
Trend justification: This species has undergone a large and statistically significant decrease over the last 40 years in North America (-63.6% decline over 40 years, equating to a -22.3% decline per decade; data from Breeding Bird Survey and/or Christmas Bird Count: Butcher and Niven 2007). The European population trend is unknown (BirdLife International 2015).
| Country/Territory | Presence | Origin | Resident | Breeding visitor | Non-breeding visitor | Passage migrant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Austria | extant | native | yes | |||
| Bahamas | extant | native | ||||
| Belarus | extant | native | yes | |||
| Belgium | extant | native | yes | |||
| Bermuda (to UK) | extant | native | ||||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Bulgaria | extant | native | yes | |||
| Canada | extant | native | yes | |||
| China (mainland) | extant | native | ||||
| Croatia | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Czechia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Denmark | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Estonia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Faroe Islands (to Denmark) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Finland | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| France | extant | native | yes | |||
| Germany | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Greece | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Greenland (to Denmark) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Hungary | extant | native | yes | |||
| Iceland | extant | native | yes | |||
| Ireland | extant | native | ||||
| Italy | extant | native | yes | |||
| Japan | extant | native | ||||
| Kazakhstan | extant | native | ||||
| Latvia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Lithuania | extant | native | yes | |||
| Luxembourg | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Malta | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Mongolia | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Montenegro | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Morocco | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Netherlands | extant | native | yes | |||
| North Korea | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Norway | extant | native | yes | |||
| Poland | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Portugal | extant | native | yes | |||
| Romania | extant | native | yes | |||
| Russia | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Russia (Asian) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Russia (Central Asian) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Russia (European) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Serbia | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Slovakia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Slovenia | extant | native | yes | |||
| South Korea | extant | native | ||||
| Spain | extant | native | yes | |||
| St Pierre and Miquelon (to France) | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Sweden | extant | native | yes | |||
| Switzerland | extant | native | ||||
| Türkiye | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Turks and Caicos Islands (to UK) | extant | native | ||||
| Ukraine | extant | native | yes | |||
| United Kingdom | extant | native | yes | |||
| USA | extant | native | yes |
| Country/Territory | IBA Name |
|---|---|
| Finland | Käsivarsi fjelds |
| Finland | Kevo |
| Finland | Lemmenjoki-Hammastunturi-Pulju |
| Finland | Saariselkä and Koilliskaira |
| Norway | Dovrefjell |
| Norway | Hardangervidda |
| Norway | Reisa |
| Norway | Slettnes |
| Norway | Varanger Peninsula |
| Russia (Asian) | Gusikha river basin and lower Balakhnya river |
| Russia (Asian) | Izvestiy Tsik islands |
| Russia (Asian) | Lower Nizhnyaya Taymyra river |
| Russia (Asian) | Preobrazheniya island |
| Russia (Asian) | Wrangel and Herald Islands |
| Russia (European) | Lapland Biosphere Reserve |
| Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) | Adventdalen & Adventfjorden |
| Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) | Bjørnøya (Bear Island) |
| Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) | Inner parts of Kongsfjorden |
| Sweden | Middagsfjället – Dörrshöjden |
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grassland | Tundra | major | non-breeding |
| Grassland | Tundra | major | breeding |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands | suitable | breeding |
| Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | suitable | non-breeding | |
| Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | suitable | breeding | |
| Altitude | Occasional altitudinal limits |
| Threat (level 1) | Threat (level 2) | Impact and Stresses | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Future | Whole (>90%) | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
|
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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/snow-bunting-plectrophenax-nivalis on 23/11/2024.
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 23/11/2024.