Lapland Longspur

The Lapland Longspur is a hardy songbird of the far north, breeding across Arctic tundra around the globe and wintering in large flocks on open agricultural land and prairies well to the south. The name 'longspur' refers to the unusually long, straight claw on the hind toe shared by this group of ground-dwelling birds.

Breeding males are boldly patterned, with a black face and throat, a rich chestnut nape, and a heavily streaked black crown, a striking combination against the pale tundra backdrop. Females and winter birds are much more subdued, streaky brown overall, but usually retain a hint of the rusty nape patch and show a distinctive dark triangular patch on the ear coverts.

Outside the breeding season, Lapland Longspurs are highly gregarious, often forming enormous mixed flocks with Snow Buntings, Horned Larks, and other open-country birds.

Key Field Marks

• Breeding male: black face and throat, chestnut nape, heavily streaked black crown
• Winter/female: streaky brown overall, often with a rusty nape patch and a dark patch on the ear coverts
• Relatively short, conical bill
• Long hind claw (rarely visible in the field but diagnostic of the group)

Similar Species

• Snow Bunting: shows much more extensive white in the wings, especially in flight, and lacks the dark ear patch
• Chestnut-collared and other longspurs: differ in tail pattern and facial markings; range and season help narrow down which longspur species is present

The combination of a rusty nape and a dark ear patch is a useful mark for identifying nonbreeding Lapland Longspurs among mixed winter flocks.

Lapland Longspurs breed on Arctic tundra across the circumpolar north, including northern Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Eurasia, nesting on the ground amid low tundra vegetation.

In winter, the species migrates south in large numbers to open habitats across the northern and central United States, including plowed fields, prairies, and shorelines, often forming immense flocks that can include thousands of birds, frequently mixed with Snow Buntings and Horned Larks.

Behavior

Wintering Lapland Longspurs are highly gregarious, forming large, sometimes massive flocks that forage together on open ground and take flight in coordinated, swirling movements when disturbed.

Voice

The breeding song is a musical, tinkling warble delivered during a brief flight display over the tundra; the flight call commonly heard from wintering flocks includes a dry rattle and a whistled 'tew.'

Feeding

Diet is mostly seeds in winter, gathered from open ground, shifting to insects during the short Arctic breeding season to feed rapidly growing chicks.

Nesting and Breeding

The nest is a grass-lined cup built on the ground, sheltered by tundra vegetation or a rock. Clutches typically contain 3-7 pale eggs with dark markings, and breeding is compressed into the brief Arctic summer.