Known collectively as a ‘drift’, snow buntings have the northernmost winter range of any passerine, or perching bird, other than the Common Raven, and they have feathered tarsi, or ankle areas, which help them retain crucial body heat in the cold.

Each week we introduce a new bird from the Ottawa-Gatineau area through our segment on CBC Radio’s In Town and Out. Alex MacDonald, Nature Canada’s Manager of Protected Areas, shares interesting facts about the birds that live in our communities. Be sure to tune-in to “Bird Tweet of the Week” on CBC Radio One 91.5 FM on Saturday mornings from 6am to 9am and listen to past episodes on our website

This episode aired on Saturday November 23, 2013