Lapland Longspur

Calcarius lapponicus

Photo by SveinB

Identification

Lapland Buntings are most distinctive in summer plumage. In winter though they could easily be mistaken for Reed Buntings but notice the two white wing bars sandwiching an obvious rusty-red wing patch and the black eye standing out in a plain face, with a black surround to the pale ear coverts. The yellow bill and bigger, more lark-like proportions are also useful. Winter males additionally have a rusty nape and black speckles across the breast.

The Lapland Bunting, Calcarius lapponicus, is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group separated by most modern authors from the Fringillidae (Old World finches). The Lapland Bunting is a robust bird, with a thick yellow seed-eater's bill. The summer male has a black head and throat, white eyestripe, chestnut nape, white underparts, and a heavily streaked black-grey back. Other plumages have a plainer orange-brown head, a browner back and chestnut nape and wing panels.

The most common flight call is a hard "prrrrt" usually preceded by a more nasal "teeww". When breeding, it also makes a softer "duyyeee" followed by a pause and a "triiiuuu"; both sounds alternate.

Distribution

It breeds across arctic Europe and Asia and in Canada and the northernmost USA. In North America it is known as the Lapland Longspur. It is migratory, wintering in the Russian steppes, the southern USA, and coastal Denmark and Great Britain. This is the only Eurasian species of the longspur buntings, and while it probably did not evolve there, it has been present in Eastern Europe for at least about 30,000 years (Tomek & Bocheński 2005).

Habitat

It breeds in wet areas with birch or willow, and or bare mountains, and winters on cultivated land or coasts.

Behaviour

The bird is often seen close to the tree line, and like to feed in mixed-species flocks in winter. Its natural food consists of insects when feeding young, and otherwise seeds. The nest is on the ground. 2-4 eggs are laid.

Bird Song <flashmp3>Calcarius lapponicus (song).mp3</flashmp3>
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External Links

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