Snow buntings returning to Wisconsin; our most northern songbird
Non-breed adult snow bunting photographed in Sheboygan
SHEBOYGAN, Wis. - One of Wisconsin's unique visitors come winter is starting to arrive in some locations across the state. The snow bunting, the northernmost songbird, spends its winters in the northern U.S. after summering in the Arctic.
This small and unassuming bird might not be as colorful as an indigo bunting, but its range is anything but normal.
The northern tundra of Canada is where these birds breed in the summer. They arrive in Wisconsin to avoid the extremes of Arctic winters but surprisingly return to their breeding grounds well before temperatures rise above 0 degrees.
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Typical summer and winter ranges of the Snow Bunting
In Wisconsin, if you're lucky, you might come across small to large flocks browsing prairies, farm fields, sandy areas and lake shores. For them, this is a tropical paradise compared to the Arctic Circle.