McKay's Bunting is one of the rarest North American breeding birds, nesting only on the remote islands of St. Matthew and Hall Islands in the Bering Sea. It is almost entirely white — purer white than the closely related Snow Bunting — with only small black wing tips. In winter it appears in small numbers on the coast of western Alaska, sometimes mixing with Snow Buntings.
Best time to see a McKay's Bunting
The best time to see a McKay's Bunting is July–August, when about 64% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 53 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a McKay's Bunting? What bird is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent McKay's Bunting sightings near you
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