Lapland Longspur Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesLapland 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, 2012In winter, often found in mixed flocks with Horned Larks and Snow Buntings.
© Ross Gallardy / Macaulay LibraryPennsylvania, February 07, 2021Breeding male
Breeds in wet tundra meadows. Breeding males have a black hood, rusty nape, and yellow bill.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryFinnmark, June 15, 2015Nonbreeding adult/immature (with Horned Lark)
© Cynthia Carlson / Macaulay LibraryWisconsin, January 01, 2021Similar SpeciesChestnut-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 SpeciesChestnut-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 SpeciesSmith'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 SpeciesSmith'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 SpeciesThick-billed Longspur
Breeding male
Thick-billed Longspurs are grayer overall than Lapland Longspurs with a white (not black) throat.
© Shawn Billerman / Macaulay LibraryWyoming, April 12, 2014Similar SpeciesThick-billed Longspur
Female
Female Thick-billed 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 SpeciesVesper 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 SpeciesHorned 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, 2015Compare with Similar Species
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Species in This Family
Longspurs and Snow Buntings(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Calcariidae)
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