ML402998231

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Though hundreds of longspurs were on the refuge on this date, the bird was foraging alone - well away from any of the swirling flocks located elsewhere. The buffy tones are true: they cover the entirety of the underparts. Two eBird reviewers, with limited experienced with the species in winter, felt that bill characteristics, facial pattern, and wing pattern supported an extralimital Smith's Longspur. One eBird reviewer and an experienced birder from a region with more abundant longspurs felt that there were sufficient traits present to support Chestnut-collared Longspur. I did not see the bird in flight and do not have any photographs that show tail pattern clearly. It is possible that a photograph reviewer with more wealth of longspur experience will sway me one way or the other but, for now, I will go with the most conservative identification available. Due to incoming commentary, I am going with my initial identification of this bird as an extra-limital Smith's Longspur. My initial identification was based on the extent of buff covering the entire underparts, the fineness of the streaking along the breast, the strength of the eyering, and the relatively long, thin, and two-toned bill with a pinkish-orange mandible. One commenter felt that the buffy nape with fine streaking supported Smith's Longspur (one proponent for Chestnut-collared Longspur felt that the nape trended chestnut - I think it is, in fact, buffy with fine streaks). One commenter felt that the thinner, longer bill with pinkish mandible clinched it as Smith's Longspur. One commenter felt that the primary projection was rather long (supporting Smith's Longspur) while another thought it was fairly short (supporting Chestnut-collared). Blowing the photographs up for a better look, I find the primary projection rather long. I would like to thank the six people who closely examined these photographs and weighed in with their diagnoses. Now that this is out in the world, I might get to thank even more folk:)

Technical information

Model

Canon PowerShot SX60 HS

ISO

160

Focal length

247 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/6.5

Shutter speed

1/160 sec

Dimensions

4608 pixels x 3456 pixels

Original file size

4.7 MB