| Smith's longspur | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Male | |
 | |
| Female | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Calcariidae |
| Genus: | Calcarius |
| Species: | C. pictus |
| Binomial name | |
| Calcarius pictus (Swainson, 1832) | |
 | |
Smith's longspur (Calcarius pictus) is abird from the familyCalcariidae, which also contains the other species oflongspurs. A bird of open habitats, it breeds in northern Canada andAlaska, and winters in the southern United States. Primarily a ground-feeding seed-eater, it supplements its diet with insects in the summer.
These birds have short cone-shaped bills, streaked backs, and dark tails with white outerrectrices. In breeding stateplumage (mostly formed by worn basic plumage), the male has a pumpkin-orange throat, nape, and underparts contrasting with an intricate black-and-white face pattern. The white lesser coverts are quite pronounced on a male in spring and early summer. Females and immatures have lightly streakedbuffy underparts, dark crowns, brown wings with less obvious white lesser coverts, and a light-colored face. The tail is identical at all ages.[2]
Measurements:
This bird breeds in open grassy areas near thetree line in northernCanada andAlaska. In winter, they congregate in open fields, including airports, in the south-central United States.Migration iselliptical, with northbound birds staging inIllinois in the spring and southbound birds flying over theGreat Plains in the fall.[2]
These birds nest in small colonies; males do not defend territory. The female lays three to five eggs in a grasscup nest on the ground. Both males and females may have more than one mate (polygynandry). The parents, one female and possibly more than one male, feed the young birds.[2]
These birdsforage on the ground, gathering in flocks outside of thenesting season. They mainly eat seeds, also eatinginsects in summer. Young birds are mainly fed insects.
The song is a sweet warble that is inflected at the end, somewhat reminiscent of thechestnut-sided warbler. The call is a dry rattle, like a shortened version of the call of a femalebrown-headed cowbird, noticeably drier than that ofLapland longspur.
Audubon named this bird after his friendGideon B. Smith.
