The Timing and Duration of Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis Primary Moult in High Arctic Northeast Greenland

In a previous analysis of data collected on the primary wing moult of adult Snow Buntings Plectrophenax nivalis in High Arctic northeast Greenland (72°N) in 1972, it was estimated from linear regression that the moult duration was 28 days. This method is now considered inappropriate and has been superseded by the Underhill-Zucchini method to analyse primary moult. The revised estimates are as follows: mean start date was 21 ± 5.9 July (±SD), the mean duration was 31 days and the mean completion date was 21 August. Therefore, this revised estimate of 31 days still means that the Snow Bunting is the fastest moulting passerine known to date. This speed of moult is symptomatic of an adaptation to a northerly breeding distribution when breeding, moult and preparation for migration are compressed into the short summer of the High Arctic.