By: Jody Allair, Director of Communication, Birds Canada
Living in the prairies of southern Alberta has given me the opportunity to experience some of Canada’s most impressive displays of natural history. From herds of Pronghorn effortlessly running across the plains, to soaring flocks of American White Pelicans and boisterous displays of nesting Long-billed Curlews, this wonderful region of Canada is a dream destination for birders and naturalists. But if I had to choose my favourite birding experience each spring it has to be watching the captivating display flight of the Chestnut-collared Longspur.
Chestnut-collared Longspur. Photo: May Haga
Ever since moving to the prairies in 2018, I have made a concerted effort each spring to visit the short-grass prairie habitat that is home to several of our grassland songbird specialists including Sprague’s Pipit, Baird’s and Brewer’s sparrows, Thick-billed and Chestnut-collared longspurs, and Lark Bunting. A few years ago I visited a short-grass prairie bird stronghold east of Brooks, Alberta known as Tide Lake. To many people passing by, this flat, sparse landscape may seem like an empty wasteland. However, those who take the time to get out and experience the land up close will discover a dizzying array of swirling birds and a song chorus that would rival any eastern woodland.
Photo: Jody Allair
My goal on this early June morning was to get out on the prairie for dawn, which at this time of year is around 5:20 am. I camped nearby in order to reach my planned birding destination shortly after sunrise. Within minutes of arriving I was surrounded by singing and displaying grassland birds including a very loud Marbled Godwit and several Chestnut-collared Longspurs. The landscape is definitely flat, with sparse short grass, a layer of moss and lichens (also referred to as the prairie crust) along the ground, some grazing cattle and Pronghorns in the distance, and scattered sagebrush giving the air a faintly sweet scent.
Unlike forested landscapes, where songbirds tend to sing from high perches in trees, many songbirds of the prairies take to the skies to proclaim territories and attract mates. Chestnut-collared Longspurs will in fact sing from the top of a Sagebrush or fencepost, but when things start to get serious they fly up to heights of 20m, then gradually flutter down to the ground with their wings outstretched and their heads up singing. From below, the Chestnut-collared Longspur’s black belly contrasts sharply with their flared white tail with a distinctive black triangle pattern within their inner tail feathers. After they come back down to earth they perch with their upper body held high seemingly proud of this absolutely breathtaking display. After a few short minutes the males return to the sky for more display flights, determined to outcompete the neighbouring rival males.
Chestnut-collared Longspur. Photo: Aaron Roberge
I wish everyone could have this experience at least once in their lives. The spectacle of Chestnut-collared Longspurs displaying all around you while the sun is rising over the prairies is unparalleled in my opinion. The heartbreaking reality is that this experience is getting harder and harder to witness each year in Canada due primarily to habitat loss, driven by the conversion of grasslands into cropland and urban development. Every year, we lose thousands of hectares of grassland across the prairies. This landscape is rapidly disappearing and so too are the birds that need it.
A species in decline
For us at Birds Canada it was an easy decision to pick the Chestnut-collared Longspur as our 2025 Avian Ambassador. As reported in the October 2024 State of Canada’s Birds, grassland birds have declined by 67% since 1970. Chestnut-collared Longspurs have alarmingly declined by over 95% and are now designated as Endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) because of the rapid and accelerating declines in its population. And despite their limited geographic distribution from southwestern Manitoba, west through southern Alberta, I think it’s important for everyone to get to know a bit more about the Chestnut-collared Longspur. Not only will you discover how wonderful these birds are, but also recognize what we stand to lose if we don’t course-correct the rate of habitat loss happening right now in the Canadian prairies.
Photo: Jody Allair
Here are some quick facts and links to resources to help you get to know the Chestnut-collared Longspur:
- Chestnut-collared Longspurs are one of four longspur species in North America. Smith’s and Lapland longspurs are Arctic breeders, while Thick-billed and Chestnut-collared longspurs are native prairie region specialists.
- Chestnut-collared Longspurs are a sparrow-like songbird (15 cm) with a 26 cm wingspan and weigh approximately 21 grams (or the weight of 3 loonies). During the nesting season, the males are very striking birds with black underparts, yellow faces, along with their characteristic namesake chestnut collar. Females are similar in pattern but with more muted colours.
- The name “longspur” is in reference to the long, slender claw on their hind toe.
- Their song has been described as a sweet, descending warble with gurgling pitch changes, somewhat reminiscent of Western Meadowlark. Listen here.
- During the nesting season from May-August, Chestnut-collared Longspurs can be found in the shortgrass and mixed-grass regions of the northern Great Plains. Because of their need for short grasses they actually benefit from cattle grazing on native pastures. During the non-breeding season they will migrate south to the southern Great Plains as far south as the Chihuahuan Desert of Mexico. For a detailed map of where you can see this species in Canada, visit our NatureCounts Explore page.
- Through initiatives like the Bird-Friendliness Index, Birds Canada is working with landowners and ranchers in the Canadian prairies to help conserve species like the Chestnut-collared Longspur.
- Learn more about the status, trends and distribution of the Chestnut-collared Longspur in Canada by visiting our State of Canada’s Birds Species Accounts website.
Throughout the year we will be celebrating this special species by sharing stories, so stay tuned. If you’ve had any great birding experiences with this wonderful symbol of the prairies please reach out to communications@birdscanada.org
You can support birds like the Chestnut-collared Longspur:
