Hello birders,

With Snow Buntings now being seen in the Pacific Northwest, I would like to
encourage birders to closely examine any Plectrophenax bunting (i.e., Snow
Bunting, McKay's Bunting) that appears to be on the pale side of the tonal
spectrum.

We now have some evidence that the winter ranges of male and female McKay's
Buntings differ on average, so the appearance of a female McKay's in
Richmond, BC last winter may not be as remarkable as initially thought.

Female McKay's Bunting can be very difficult to tell from Snow Bunting in
fall and winter, so photographs of a suspect bird may be required to clinch
its identification.

Happy bunting watching,
Jason Rogers
Banff, AB
hawkowl at hotmail.com