[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]This Snow Bunting was photographed by Dean Eades along the Lincolnshire coast. Although a few Snow Buntings live and breed in Scotland, the majority of UK sightings, like this one, are of birds on their winter holidays. By February it will be getting a bit too hot for them here, and they'll be flying off back towards the Arctic Circle and beyond.
Scientific name: Plectrophenax nivalis
Size: Approx 16 to 18cm
Distribution: Found in some parts of Scotland, north Wales and the northern and eastern counties of England
Months seen: September to April
Habitat: Highlands, moorland and coastal areas
Food: Seeds and insects
Special features: Small numbers of Snow Buntings breed in Scotland, but they are predominantly just winter visitors.
Adult male Snow Buntings have brilliant white breast plumage in the summer, a grey-brown back and grey wing tips. The beak and legs are grey. Female and juvenile Snow Buntings have more grey and fawn coloured markings, and the beak is yellow with a black tip.