Tag: american bird conservancy

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 … Continue

The tiny, elusive LeConte’s Sparrow is closely related to other grassland sparrow species, including the Saltmarsh, Baird’s, and Henslow’s Sparrows. Like these relatives, the LeConte’s Sparrow behaves more like a mouse than a bird, foraging on the ground amidst thick vegetation, and scuttling away, rather than flying, when it feels threatened.

For those lucky enough to get a good look at one, the LeConte’s Sparrow shows several definitive ID features: a pumpkin-colored face with grey cheeks, a dark brown crown with white central stripe, and, perhaps most notably, a … Continue

In this species account, we highlight the Black Vulture found throughout the Americas, not the Black, or Cinereous, Vulture (Aegypius monachus), a different species native to Europe and Asia. “Our” Black Vulture is also known as the American Black Vulture and Mexican Vulture, and in other languages, by names such as Zopilote (thief), Urubu, or Gallinazo (buzzard, vulture).

The American Black Vulture can be identified by its all-black plumage, light gray legs, and a bald, grayish-black head and neck. The featherless head, a feature it has in common with … Continue