Similar Species
Chestnut-collared Longspur
Breeding male
Throat and belly color separate breeding male Chestnut-collared and Lapland Longspurs; a pale yellow throat and a black belly on Chestnut-collared and a black throat and a white belly on Lapland Longspurs.
© Gerrit Vyn | Macaulay LibraryAlberta, June 06, 2010Similar Species
Chestnut-collared Longspur
Nonbreeding
Nonbreeding Chestnut-collared Longspurs are pale sandy-brown overall with blurry streaking on the belly, whereas nonbreeding Lapland Longspurs are a richer brown with rusty wing patches and a cleaner belly.
© Jacob Drucker | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, November 13, 2016Similar Species
Smith's Longspur
Breeding male
Breeding male Smith's Longspurs have a tawny belly, whereas breeding male Lapland Longspurs have a black chest and white lower belly.
© Andrew Spencer | Macaulay LibraryYukon Territory, June 07, 2014Similar Species
Smith's Longspur
Nonbreeding
Nonbreeding Smith's Longspurs have a buffy belly unlike nonbreeding Lapland Longspurs, which have a white belly. They also have 2 thin white wingbars, lacking the Lapland Longspur's rusty wing panel.
© Justyn Stahl | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, September 23, 2016Similar Species
McCown's Longspur
Breeding male
McCown's Longspurs are grayer overall than Lapland Longspurs with a white (not black) throat.
© Shawn Billerman | Macaulay LibraryWyoming, April 12, 2014Similar Species
McCown's Longspur
Female
Female McCown's Longspurs don't have streaked flanks like female Lapland Longspurs. They have rusty feathers on the upper portion of the wing rather than on the lower wing like Lapland Longspurs.
© Andrew Spencer | Macaulay LibraryColorado, April 20, 2012Similar Species
Vesper Sparrow
Adult/immature
Vesper Sparrows could be confused with female or nonbreeding Lapland Longspurs, but they have an obvious white eyering.
© John Reynolds | Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, September 04, 2016Similar Species
Horned Lark
Female
Female Horned Larks are paler overall without the dark facial markings seen on female and nonbreeding Lapland Longspurs.
© Bridget Spencer | Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, September 04, 2015Main Species
Lapland Longspur
Breeding male
Chunky grassland bird with a stout bill. Breeding males have a black crown, face, and bib and a rusty nape.
© Ian Davies | Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 03, 2013Nonbreeding/immature male
Chunky sparrowlike bird. Nonbreeding birds have a heavily streaked back and crown with a clean nape. A dark line outlines the ear and the flanks are streaked. Note rusty patch in the wings.
© Andrew Simon | Macaulay LibraryMichigan, January 20, 2019Breeding male
Breeds in Arctic tundra in wet meadows, grassy tussocks, and scrub. Sings a series of loud, squeaky, jingling notes from low perches near the ground or during flight.
© Larry Arbanas | Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 19, 2007Nonbreeding adult/immature
Chunky bird with a stout bill. Nonbreeding birds are streaked above with a black border around the ear, streaked flanks, and a dark often smudgy breast band.
© Doug Hitchcox | Macaulay LibraryMaine, October 09, 2012Breeding male
Breeds in wet tundra meadows. Breeding males have a black hood, rusty nape, and yellow bill.
© Ian Davies | Macaulay LibraryFinnmark, June 15, 2015