Lapland Longspur

Status Fairly common transient, uncommon in winter. It was unreported in most nineteenth-century lists and rated as "rare" by Jones (1879), who obtained only one specimen; this is probably not indicative of its true status then. Its numbers today show considerable irregularity from year to year. Fall migrants appear generally in late September or early October (average 6 October, earliest 10 September). In winter look for it in low exposed areas along the coast. Flocks of more than 100 have been reported from Grand Pre, Kings County, and from marshes in the Amherst area, but fewer and smaller flocks have been seen on the Cape Breton Island, Eastern and Southwestern shores. Latest spring sightings are normally in April, with several May reports from Sable Island (average 16 April, latest 21 May).

Description Length: 15-18 cm. Adult male in winter: Crown and back streaked with black, buff and rufous, the crown with a poorly defined buffy median stripe; nape and hindneck chestnut, veiled by brownish feather tips; tail dark brown, the outer feathers showing white marks; underparts white tinged with buff; breast with black obscured by whitish feather tips; flanks streaked with black. Adult female in winter: Similar but paler.

Range Circumpolar. In North America, breeds in Greenland, the arctic islands and northern Alaska, south to the edge of forest. Winters from southern Canada to Virginia, southern Texas and the southwestern United States.

Remarks It is often seen in flocks of Snow Buntings and Horned Larks. It is a darker bird than the Snow Bunting. It is more likely to be confused with the Horned Lark, but its facial pattern is different and it lacks the solid black breast band and the black and yellow face markings of the lark.