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Smith's Longspur

Calcarius pictusOrder: PASSERIFORMES Family: Sparrows (Emberizidae)
Codes: Common Name: SMLO Scientific Name: CALPIC ITIS Taxonomic No.: 179529
Smith's Longspur Breeding Male Head Illustration

Head

Topo Map: Perching-like Head
  • Bill Shape: Cone
  • Eye Color: Brown.
  • Head Pattern: Eyeline, Striped, Eyering (complete or broken), Special (unique patterns or features), Malar or malar stripe
  • Crown Color: Black
  • Forehead Color: Black
  • Nape Color: Yellow-brown
  • Throat Color: Yellow-brown
  • Cere color: No Data
Splitbar

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Smith's Longspur Breeding Male Body Illustration

Body

Topo Map: Perching-like Body
  • Length Range: 15-17 cm (5.75-6.5 in)
  • Weight: 28 g (1 oz)
  • Size: Size 2. Small (5 - 9 in)
  • Color: White, Brown, Black, Buff
  • Underparts: Yellow-brown with faint brown streaking.
  • Upperparts: Yellow-brown with dark brown streaking.
  • Back Pattern: Striped or streaked
  • Belly Pattern: Solid
  • Breast Pattern: Solid
Smith's Longspur Breeding Male Flight Illustration

Flight

Topo Map: Perching-like Flight
  • Flight Pattern: Alternates several rapid wing beats with wings pulled to sides., Swift erratic zigzag flight when flushed.
  • Wingspan Range: 25-28 cm (10-11 in)
  • Wing Shape: Pointed-Wings
  • Tail Shape: Pointed Tail
  • Tail Pattern: Solid
  • Upper Tail: Black with white outer feathers.
  • Under Tail: Black with white outer feathers.
  • Leg Color: Yellow-brown
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Family Buntings, Finches, Sparrows (Emberizidae)_blue
Species Calcarius pictus
Length5.75 - 6.5 Inches
Wingspan10.5 Inches

Smith's Longspur

Smith's Longspur: Medium sparrow, yellow-brown streaked upperparts, black head with white eyebrow and ear patch, and yellow-brown nape, throat, and underparts. Wings have large white bars. Tail is black with white edges. Yellow-brown legs and feet. Feeds on seeds, spiders, and insects.

● Song: "wee-chew!"

● Foraging & Feeding: Smith's Longspur: Eats seeds, insects, and spiders on tundra. In winter, feeds mostly on seeds; forages on the ground.

● Breeding & nesting: Smith's Longspur: Four to six buff to light green eggs marked with lavender and brown are laid in a ground hollow lined with plant materials and feathers, and hidden beneath surrounding vegetation. Incubation ranges from 11 to 13 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Smith's Longspur: Lapland Longspur has red-brown nape, white underparts streaked with black, and lacks white wing patch.

Flight Pattern

Alternates several rapid wing beats with wings pulled to sides., Swift erratic zigzag flight when flushed.
Smith's Longspur Breeding Male Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Smith's Longspur: Breeds from northern Alaska across northern Canada to Hudson Bay. Spends winters from Nebraska south to Texas. Breeds on dry, hummocky areas of Arctic tundra, sometimes near forest edges. Spends winters on open fields.
BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester
PopulationYes but uncommon
MigrationMigratory
Weight1 Ounces
Perching-like HeadX
Perching-like BodyX
Perching-like FlightX
4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

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ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

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Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX