Bruant des neiges (Plectrophenax nivalis, Snow Bunting)

grec plektron = éperon, ergot, phenax = trompeur, phanes = en vue, exposé,
latin nivalis = des neiges

© Alain Fossé

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 femelle 1^er hiver nivalis ?, 22 octobre 2015, île d'Ouessant

 femelle 1^er hiver nivalis ?, 22 octobre 2015, île d'Ouessant

 femelle 1^er hiver, nivalis, lac de Maine

• 31 octobre 2004

• 24 octobre 2004

sexe = centre sombre pointu des scapulaires
âge = grande couv. int. muée, absence de la bande subterminale sur tertiaires des adultes, rectrices pointues, long rachis noir pour la blanche, centre sombre pointu des suscaudales
sous-espèce = manteau grisâtre contrastant avec scapulaires plus rousses

Commentaires de Rik Winters* (24.2.13) :

« You’re right it is a female. For that reason, the rump does not need to be white, that’s a feature for males only. In you case, that resolves the apparent contradiction: having rather pale mantle end showing a lot of white on the underparts easily identifies the bird as a nivalis. As for the age: the bird seems to have replaced its inner greater covert, showing a broad edge, while the other feathers are narrowly edged. The tail feathers appear to be rather pointed, and the tertial fringes are already rather worn, all pointing at a first winter bird (in which case the whiteness emphasizes the id as nivalis). »

*auteur de WINTERS R., 2013. Snow Bunting: sexing, ageing and subspecies. Dutch Birding, 35 (1) : 7-14.