The Lapland Longspur is one of four species of longspur in North America (the other three are the Thick-Billed, Chestnut-Collared, and Smith’s Longspurs). However, the Lapland Longspur is the only member of its genus distributed across both the New and Old Worlds. It’s one of the most abundant breeding songbirds in the Americas, and is also a common breeder in Eurasia, where it’s known as Lapland Bunting.
The male Lapland Longspur is eye-catching in breeding plumage, with a head and upper body of rich chestnut and black, bisected by a bold white stripe. However, most birders only see this species during the winter, when the male, like the female and young birds, has streaked, sparrow-like plumage, retaining only the outline of the summer’s bold facial pattern.
So how to pick out a Lapland Longspur during the winter months?
Read on to find out more: https://abcbirds.org/bird/lapland-longspur
American Bird Conservancy stands up for birds across the Americas. We halt bird extinctions, conserve vital habitats, eliminate key threats, and build the capacity of our partners.
American Bird Conservancy
