Plectrophenax

Plectrophenax is a small genus of passerine birds of the longspur family Calcariidae.

Plectrophenax
Snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Calcariidae
Genus:	Plectrophenax Stejneger, 1882
Type species
Emberiza nivalis Linnaeus, 1758
Species
P. nivalis P. hyperboreus

Taxonomy

The genus Plectrophenax was introduced in 1882 by the Norwegian born zoologist Leonhard Stejneger with the snow bunting as the type species.^[1] The name combines the Ancient Greek plēktron meaning "cock’s spur" with phenax meaning "imposter".^[2]

Species

The genus contains two species, which may be conspecific.^[3][4]

Image	Scientific name	Common Name	Distribution
	Plectrophenax nivalis	Snow bunting	Arctic region, including the Cairngorms in central Scotland and the Saint Elias Mountains on the southern Alaska-Yukon border, as well as the Cape Breton Highlands
	Plectrophenax hyperboreus	McKay's bunting	Bering Sea, St. Matthew and Hall islands, and winters on the western coast of the U.S. state of Alaska

They are high Arctic breeding seed-eating birds with stubby, conical bills, and much white in the plumage, especially in adult males. They nest in rock crevices. As would be expected, both species are highly migratory, wintering in more temperate areas.

The plumages are similar, but McKay's has more white and less black in the plumage, especially in the wings and tail. Adult breeding males of both species are mainly white with contrasting black on at least the wings, but are duller in winter. Females have white and brown plumage. The calls of both species are identical and include a low warbled hudidi feet feet feew hudidi feet feet feew hudidi.