Back to Field Guide
Smith's Longspur
Calcarius pictus
Audubon Illustration
John James Audubon, Birds of America (1827-1838). Public domain.
Migration Flyway
Showing primary migration corridor(s) for this species
Last Spotted Near You
About the Smith's Longspur
Smith's longspur (Calcarius pictus) is a bird from the family Calcariidae, which also contains the other species of longspurs. A bird of open habitats, it breeds in northern Canada and Alaska, and winters in the southern United States. Primarily a ground-feeding seed-eater, it supplements its diet with insects in the summer.
Source: Wikipedia
Classification
- Scientific name
- Calcarius pictus
- Family
- Longspurs and Snow Buntings
- Order
- Passeriformes
Similar species
Other members of the longspurs and snow buntings family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.
Know when the Smith's Longspur turns up near you
How rare bird alerts work →Gear for spotting Smith's Longspur
Optics
Best Binoculars for Beginners
You don't need to spend a fortune. These four pairs will get you birding confidently on day one.
8 min readRead guide
Cameras
Cameras for Bird Photography
From phone adapters to dedicated rigs, here's what actually works for capturing birds in the field.
12 min readRead guide