McKay's Bunting

Plectrophenax hyperboreus

Explore this bird

Identification

17 cm (7") Rare. Breeds only on Bering Sea islands in northwestern North America. Winters on coast of Alaska.

Male: almost entirely pure white except for some black on wings and tail. Similar male Snow Bunting has a black back.

Female and Winter Male: underparts white. Brown or rust on upperparts. Whiter overall than Snow Buntings.

Considered by some authorities as merely a subspecies of the Snow Bunting.

Song: suggests an American Goldfinch; flight call similar to Snow Bunting's musical twitters and whistled "teer".

Details in the field

2 photos

Credit: jomilo

Credit: jomilo

Bird Advisor Identification rules 3 variants 5 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

2 rules

Rule 1 15 criteria confidence 1

Was the RUMP or LOWER BACK light ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Black, purple, or dark
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sparrow-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:208-mckay-s-bunting:2:1 Source: 208 McKay's Bunting, row 2

Rule 2 15 criteria confidence 1

Was the RUMP or LOWER BACK light ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sparrow-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:208-mckay-s-bunting:3:1 Source: 208 McKay's Bunting, row 3

2 rules

Rule 1 15 criteria confidence 1

Was the RUMP or LOWER BACK light ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: White, or pale (grayish-white)
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sparrow-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:208-mckay-s-bunting:1:1 Source: 208 McKay's Bunting, row 1

Rule 2 15 criteria confidence 1

Was the RUMP or LOWER BACK light ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sparrow-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:208-mckay-s-bunting:3:2 Source: 208 McKay's Bunting, row 3

1 rule

Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 1

Was the RUMP or LOWER BACK light ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sparrow-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Fall · Winter
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:209-mckay-s-bunting-nonbreeding:1:1 Source: 209 McKay's Bunting (Nonbreeding), row 1