Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Orthokaryota
Cladus: Neokaryota
Cladus: Scotokaryota
Cladus: Podiata
Cladus: Amorphea
Cladus: Obazoa
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Cladus: Filozoa
Cladus: Choanozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: ParaHoxozoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Cladus: Olfactores
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Cladus: Eugnathostomata
Cladus: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Cladus: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Cladus: Sauropsida
Cladus: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Neodiapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Cladus: Archelosauria
Cladus: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crocopoda
Cladus: Archosauriformes
Cladus: Eucrocopoda
Cladus: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Cladus: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Cladus: Saurischia
Cladus: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Subclassis: Aves
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Infraclassis: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Cladus: Telluraves
Cladus: Australaves
Ordo: Passeriformes
Subordo: Passeri
Infraordo: Passerida
Superfamilia: Passeroidea
Familia: Calcariidae
Genus: Plectrophenax
Species: P. hyperboreus – P. nivalis
Name
Plectrophenax Stejneger, 1882
Vernacular names
suomi: Pulmuset
Plectrophenax is a small genus of passerine birds of the longspur family Calcariidae.
Taxonomy
The genus Plectrophenax was introduced in 1882 by the Norwegian born zoologist Leonhard Stejneger with the snow bunting as the type species.[1] The name combines the Ancient Greek plēktron meaning "cock’s spur" with phenax meaning "imposter".[2]
Species
The genus contains two species, which may be conspecific.[3][4]
| Image | Scientific name | Common Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Plectrophenax nivalis | Snow bunting | Arctic region, including the Cairngorms in central Scotland and the Saint Elias Mountains on the southern Alaska-Yukon border, as well as the Cape Breton Highlands |
 |
Plectrophenax hyperboreus | McKay's bunting | Bering Sea, St. Matthew and Hall islands, and winters on the western coast of the U.S. state of Alaska |
They are high Arctic breeding seed-eating birds with stubby, conical bills, and much white in the plumage, especially in adult males. They nest in rock crevices. As would be expected, both species are highly migratory, wintering in more temperate areas.
The plumages are similar, but McKay's has more white and less black in the plumage, especially in the wings and tail. Adult breeding males of both species are mainly white with contrasting black on at least the wings, but are duller in winter. Females have white and brown plumage. The calls of both species are identical and include a low warbled hudidi feet feet feew hudidi feet feet feew hudidi.
References
Stejneger, Leonhard (1882). "On some generic and specific appellations of North American and European birds". Proceedings of the United States National Museum. 5 (261): 28–43 [33]. doi:10.5479/si.00963801.261.28.
Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 310. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (August 2022). "Finches, euphonias, longspurs, Thrush-tanager". IOC World Bird List Version 12.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
Withrow, J.J. (2020). "Plumage variation in Bering Sea Plectrophenax buntings and the specific status of McKay's bunting" (PDF). Western Field Ornithologists. 51 (3): 174–189.
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