Longspur
Encyclopedia
The Longspurs, genus
Calcarius, are a group of bird
s in the family Calcariidae
. The name refers to the long claw on the hind toe of each foot. The genus formerly included the McCown's Longspur
, Rhyncophanes mccownii, which is now placed in a separate genus.
These are chunky ground-feeding birds with long wings which are usually seen in open areas. Males declare ownership of a territory by singing during short flights over it. The male's breeding plumage
is much brighter than his winter plumage. These birds gather in large flocks in winter. The longspurs are all found in North America
; the Lapland Longspur, or Lapland Bunting, is also found in Europe
and Asia
.
The full list of species is:
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Calcarius, are a group of bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s in the family Calcariidae
Calcariidae
The Calcariidae -commonly known as longspurs or snow buntings- are a small family of passerine birds. There are 3 genera and 6 species worldwide.- Taxonomy :...
. The name refers to the long claw on the hind toe of each foot. The genus formerly included the McCown's Longspur
McCown's Longspur
The McCown's Longspur is a small ground-feeding bird from the family Calcariidae, which also contains the longspurs and snow buntings.-Description:...
, Rhyncophanes mccownii, which is now placed in a separate genus.
These are chunky ground-feeding birds with long wings which are usually seen in open areas. Males declare ownership of a territory by singing during short flights over it. The male's breeding plumage
Feather
Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds and some non-avian theropod dinosaurs. They are considered the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates, and indeed a premier example of a complex evolutionary novelty. They...
is much brighter than his winter plumage. These birds gather in large flocks in winter. The longspurs are all found in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
; the Lapland Longspur, or Lapland Bunting, is also found in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
The full list of species is:
- Lapland Longspur, or Lapland Bunting, Calcarius lapponicus
- Smith's LongspurSmith's LongspurThe Smith's Longspur, Calcarius pictus, is a small ground-feeding bird from the family Calcariidae, which also contains the longspurs.-Overview:These birds have short cone-shaped bills, streaked backs, and dark tails with white outer retrices...
, Calcarius pictus - Chestnut-collared LongspurChestnut-collared LongspurThe Chestnut-collared Longspur, Calcarius ornatus, is a small ground-feeding bird from the family Calcariidae which also contains the longspurs.-Overview:...
, Calcarius ornatus