McKay's Bunting

McKay's Bunting
McKay's Bunting
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Calcariidae
Genus: Plectrophenax
Species: P. hyperboreus
Binomial name
Plectrophenax hyperboreus
Ridgway, 1884

McKay's Bunting (Plectrophenax hyperboreus) is a passerine bird in the longspur family Calcariidae. It is most closely related to the Snow Bunting (P. nivalis). Hybrids between the two species have been observed, leading some authorities to treat McKay's as a subspecies of Snow Bunting. As the Plectrophenax buntings are nested within the Calcarius clade, their closest relatives are the longspurs.

The species breeds on two islands in the Bering Sea, St. Matthew and Hall islands, and winters on the western coast of the U.S. state of Alaska.

The population of this species is estimated at less than 6,000 individuals. Although under no immediate threat, it is susceptible to devastation by any introduced rats, weasels or foxes, as well as rising sea levels due to climate change.

The name of this bird honours the American naturalist Charles McKay.

Contents

References

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2004). Plectrophenax hyperboreus. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is near threatened

Further reading

Book

  • Lyon, B., and R. Montgomerie. 1995. Snow Bunting and McKay’s Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis and Plectrophenax hyperboreus). In The Birds of North America, No. 198–199. (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C.

Articles

  • Maley JM. (2004). A molecular study of Arctic adaptation and evolution in North America's highest latitude endemic passerine: the McKay's Bunting (Plectrophenax hyperboreus). Arctic Science Conference Abstracts. 55th Arctic Science Conference, Anchorage, AK, USA; September 29-October 1, 2004.
  • Johnson JA, Matsuoka SM, Ruthrauff DR, Litzow MA & Dementyev MN. (2004). Additions to the avifauna of St. Matthew Island, Bering Sea. Western Birds. vol 35, no 1. p. 50-52.
  • Lyon B & Montgomerie R. (1995). Snow Bunting and McKay's Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis and Plectrophenax hyperboreus). Birds of North America. vol 0, no 198-199. p. 1-28.
  • Rogers, J. 2005. Identifying McKay’s Bunting. Birding 37 (6):618-626.
  • Sealy SG. (1969). Apparent Hybridization between Snow Bunting and Mckays Bunting on St-Lawrence Island Alaska USA. Auk. vol 86, no 2. p. 350-351.
  • Sealy SG. (1972). Additional Winter Records of the Mckays Bunting. Canadian Field Naturalist. vol 86, no 4. p. 386-388.
  • Winker K, Gibson DD, Sowls AL, Lawhead BE, Martin PD, Hoberg EP & Causey D. (2002). The birds of St. Matthew Island, Bering Sea. Wilson Bulletin. vol 114, no 4. p. 491-509.

External links


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