McCown's Longspur
The McCown's Longspur nests in higher and more arid short-grass plains than does the Chestnut-collared Longspur, and so has been less affected by the plowing of the prairies. These birds so dislike moisture that in wet seasons they may abandon areas where they normally are abundant. In summer they feed chiefly on insects, but in fall and winter, when they gather in large flocks with other longspurs and with Horned Larks, they prefer seeds. They forage on the ground, picking up seeds of weeds and grasses, and insects, especially grasshoppers.

The McCown's Longspur is a sparrow-sized bird. The breeding male is streaked above, with a black crown, whitish face and black mustache. It is gray below with a bold, black band across its breast. The female and winter male is duller and more streaked. They are best identified by their tail pattern which is largely white, with the central pair of tail feathers black and with a narrow, black band at the tip. In winter their plumage they can be difficult to distinguish from other longspurs, but close up they are easily identified by their stouter bill.

The McCown's Longspur places its nest in a shallow depression on the ground, sometimes in a clump of grass or under a shrub, but usually amid sparse prairie vegetation. It typically builds a nest that is open above, covered only by a few blades of grass, although occasionally it may be concealed by overhanging shrub branches. They forage on the ground, picking up seeds of weeds and grasses, and insects, especially grasshoppers.

The McCown's Longspur breeds from Alberta and southwestern Manitoba south to Dakotas, Wyoming and Colorado prefering arid plains. It winters from Nebraska and Colorado southward.
McCown's Longspur Range Map


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