JUKEMA J (2005) How reliable are sex assignments of Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis skins in museum collections?. LIMOSA 78 (2): 75-78.

For studies of geographical variation and origin of Snow Buntings wintering in The Netherlands, 302 skins were studied from the collections of three Dutch and five foreign museums. During this study the author discovered several museum skins of which the accompanying label did not show the correct sex. The correct sex was assessed from plumage characters and in several cases also by measuring wing length. Overall, 7% of the skins were incorrectly sexed (including two skins of birds in breeding plumage) and this was even 10% in Dutch museums where most skins were in non-breeding plumage. The author pleas for a better internal inspection of the gonads while preparing museum skins and discusses the need of post hoc sexing by using modern molecular techniques, especially in studies of monomorphic species in which knowledge of the correct sex plays a crucial role. Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis

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