Breeding Location:
Prairies, shortgrass
Breeding Type:
Monogamous, Solitary nester
Breeding Population:
Fairly common
Egg Color:
White to pale olive with brown and lavender marks
Number of Eggs:
2 - 4
Incubation Days:
12
Egg Incubator:
Female
Nest Material:
Grass, weeds, roots, and lichen.
Migration:
Migratory
Recommended Products:
General
McCown's Longspur: Medium-sized sparrow with streaked gray upperparts, plain gray underparts, and darker breast. Head has black crown, white face and throat, and heavy bill. White tail has diagnostic black inverted T. Wings have chestnut-brown bars. Female, winter adult, and juvenile are duller with brown wash over much of body.
Range and Habitat
McCown's Longspur: Breeds from Alberta and southwestern Manitoba south to Dakotas, Wyoming, and Colorado. Spends winters from Nebraska and Colorado southward. Found in shortgrass prairies, native grasslands, pastures, and agricultural areas.
Breeding and Nesting
McCown's Longspur: Two to four white to pale olive eggs marked with brown and lavender are laid in a shallow ground depression lined with grass, weeds, roots, and lichens. Eggs are incubated for 12 days by the female.
Foraging and Feeding
McCown's Longspur: Feeds on seeds, insects, and other arthropods. Captures prey by flushing, stalking, hawking, or gleaning.
Readily Eats
Safflower, Apple Slices, Suet, Millet, Peanut Kernels, Fruit
Vocalization
McCown's Longspur: Song is a high-spirited warbling and twittering, "see, see, see me, see me, hear me, hear me, see." Call is a dry rattle or double-noted "churrip-churrip."
Similar Species
McCown's Longspur: Chestnut-Collared Longspur has a white tail with black triangle, black belly, and chestnut-brown collar.
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