The best source of information on the population status of Snow Bunting is the continental Christmas Bird Count (CBC). Although the CBC provides moderate coverage of the wintering range, its overall reliability is low because high variability among years results in low precision. However, as no surveys cover the remote breeding range of this species, the CBC is nonetheless the best indicator of population trend. It shows a steady decline from the 1970s to the 1990s, and continuing at a somewhat slower rate ever since. The population is currently nearly 80% lower than in the 1970s. Monitoring by the Canadian Snow Bunting Network may in time provide additional trend data.

The goal for Snow Bunting is to increase the population to the level it was at in the early 1970s, based on the Christmas Bird Count. Trend data show that Snow Bunting is far below its goal range and its population decline is ongoing. The trend will need to stabilize before the population can begin to rebound, and it's not realistic for the goal to be met by 2050. Based on analysis of the historical population loss and potential growth rates, the interim target is to reach 30% of the goal by 2050. Achieving this target, and ultimately reaching the national goal for this species, will require ambitious and long-term conservation action.