Calcarius ornatus
male
The Chestnut-collared Longspur is a well-marked songbird, particularly in the breeding season. The sexes are dissimilar. Summer adult males have a streaked back, chestnut crown, black crown and ear covert margins, and a pale yellow-tinged face and throat. The wings have pale feather margins and a small white shoulder patch. The breast and belly are usually black, while the undertail is white. Winter adult males recall a breeding male but with muted colors and pale feather fringes that mask black elements of the plumage. Adult females recall a dull winter male and juveniles are duller still. All birds have a white tail with a central black tip.
This is a prairie-breeding species. Outside the breeding season it forms flocks and occurs from southern U.S.A. to Mexico.
female
FACT FILE
LENGTH 6 in (15 cm)
FOOD Invertebrates in summer; mainly seeds in winter
HABITAT Prairie grassland in summer; dense grassland in winter
STATUS Local common summer visitor; local in winter
VOICE Song is a warbling tsi tsididi tser-de. Call is a rattle, given in flight
