Most commonly we may think of winter as a time when birds migrate AWAY from the chilly Northeast, but there are actually some species that migrate south TO Vermont as their desired place to spend the winter.
The Snow Bunting is a small songbird with mostly white plumage with some brown and black on the back and face. The males will leave Vermont in early April to establish their breeding territories. The females won’t follow until about six weeks later. Their preferred winter habitat is in open weedy or grassy fields.
Look for flocks of them in your nearby cornfields and appreciate the long journey they have made to join us for the winter!