Chestnut-collared Longspur
The upland prairies favored by the Chestnut-collared Longspur for nesting have been extensively planted in wheat, so these birds are much less numerous than in the past. They need only a small area, however, and often several pairs will crowd into a patch of land or even the narrow strips of unplowed grassland along highways. Here the males can be seen singing from the tops of fence posts, rocks or tall weed stalks.

The Chestnut-collared Longspur is a sparrow-sized bird, similar to the Lapland Longspur, but the breeding male has wholly black underparts and some white on its face. The tail of female and winter male is also similar to that of Lapland Longspur but with more white at the sides.

The Chestnut-collared Longspur feeds primarily on grass seed and some insects, which are gleaned from the ground. During winter, it feeds almost entirely on plant material. The Chestnut-collared Longspur builds its nest on the ground, usually in a small depression in grass in uncultivated grassland with occasional low ridges and shallow areas. It seems to prefer nest sites in moist areas and places its nest on an elevated site in flooded meadows.

The Chestnut-collared Longspur breeds from Alberta and Manitoba south to Minnesota and Wyoming. It winters from Colorado and Kansas south to Texas and northern Mexico. It prefers prairies and short-grass plains.
Chestnut-collared Longspur Range Map

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