ML646346534

Observation details

foraging along runways along with the Horned Larks. viewed from gated area near main office but the flock was fairly active and moved around quite a bit. not visible when I left but definitely still in the area. first county record for Worcester County. furthest inland record for the state and 6th record for Massachusetts. (notes on identification added 12/5/25) initial impressions: when I initially saw this bird, I immediately noticed longspur characteristics like the smaller size (esp in comparison to HOLA), overall mouse-brown color and very short legged appearance. Lapland Longspur is the expected species to get here in the winter but I immediately suspected it was something else. While it had a contrasting border on the auricular, it wasn't that dark and it lacked any rufous color on the greater coverts and streaks on the flanks as expected with any type of LALO plumage. the thin white eye-ring was also very noticeable. identification to species: the dark tinges to the belly was most noticeable fieldmark that I started with to eliminate the other longspur species in Calcariidae. no species has this dark belly other than Chestnut-collared Longspur. The other key fieldmark I was able to see (and photograph) was the tail pattern. It had extensive white on the outer retrices with a dark wedge along the trailing edge. the amount of white easily eliminated both Smith's and Lapland (only have white on outer two retrices) and the dark wedge shape eliminated Thick-billed Longspur, which has more of a dark margin along the trailing edge. Bill size seemed too small for Thick-billed, anyhow. thoughts on sex/age as Marshall wrote in his comments, I think that this must be a male due to the amount of dark tinges on the belly. I couldn't make out any rufous color on the nape, either in person or later from photographs. According to BOTW, it sounds like it can be difficult to age/sex any drab non-breeding birds, so with my lack of knowledge/experience, I won't make an attempt to go any further.