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Glite Dictionary
snow bunting

snow bunting

1 9.3
A small bird with mostly white feathers that lives in cold northern places
  • noun
  • /snoʊ ˈbʌntɪŋ/
  • UK
translation icon : pájaro de nieve
  • The snow bunting sings beautifully during the winter.

Examples

  • The snow bunting breeds in the Arctic tundra and migrates south during the colder months.

  • Birdwatchers often travel north in winter to catch a glimpse of the elusive snow bunting.

  • A flock of snow buntings landed on the icy shoreline, their white feathers blending with the snow.

  • I saw a snow bunting in the snow yesterday.

  • During the winter, the bright white feathers of a snow bunting make it easy to spot against the snowy landscape.

  • Birdwatchers often flock to the tundra to catch a glimpse of the snow bunting as it migrates south for the season.

  • The snow bunting sings beautifully in the crisp Arctic air, filling the silence with its melodious calls.

Synonyms

Plectrophenax nivalis
vssnow bunting
  • Specialized
9.9

A small bird with white and brown feathers that lives in cold northern areas

is the everyday common name used by non scientists for this bird

Surface Forms

snow bunting singular
snow buntings plural

Morphology

snow + bunting

The compound is compositionally transparent: 'snow' (white/wintery) combined with 'bunting' (a small songbird) straightforwardly yields a bunting associated with snow or white plumage. A B1 learner who knows both words can readily infer it is a small bird found in snowy/winter environments or with snowy colouring.

Etymology

Snow bunting comes from a simple picture: a small bird called a bunting that has lots of white and often sits on snow in the far north. That's why the name now means a 'small songbird' with white feathers.