Chestnut-collared Longspur

Chestnut-collared Longspur, male; central Montana; July

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Chestnut-collared Longspur, female; central Montana; July

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

The black belly of the breeding male Chestnut-collared Longspur makes it stand out when proclaiming its territory on its short-grass prairie home. In other seasons the male is as drab and sparrow-like as the female.

Description

• Medium-sized sparrow-like bird.
• Short, thick, pointed bill.
• Tail white with black triangle in center.
• Breeding male has black crown, chest, and belly, and deep chestnut nape.
• Female and winter male grayish buff, with dusky streaks on back and sides.

• Size: 13-17 cm (5-7 in)
• Weight: 18-23 g (0.64-0.81 ounces)

Sex Differences

Breeding male strikingly marked with black belly and chestnut nape, female dull and striped.

Sound

Song a short, musical warble, somewhat similar to Western Meadowlark.

Conservation Status

Populations appear to be declining in most areas.

Other Names

Bruant à ventre noir, Bruant à collier chatâin (French)
Arnoldo de collar castano (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• The Chestnut-collared Longspur bred historically at sites recently grazed by bison or disturbed by fire. Even today, it avoids nesting in areas protected from grazing, instead preferring pastures and mowed areas such as airstrips, as well as grazed native prairie habitats.
• ?Longspur? refers to the elongated claw of the hind toe.

Sources used to construct this page:

Hill, D. P., and L. K. Gould. 1997. Chesnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus). In The Birds of North America, No. 288 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists? Union, Washington, D.C.