Smith's Longspur vs Thick-billed Longspur

Smith's Longspur

Calcarius pictus

Small27 gGrassland

These birds have short cone-shaped bills, streaked backs, and dark tails with white outer rectrices. In breeding state plumage (mostly formed by worn basic plumage), the male has a pumpkin-orange throat, nape, and underparts contrasting with an intricate black-and-white face pattern. The white lesser coverts are quite pronounced on a male in spring and early summer. Females and immatures have lightly streaked buffy underparts, dark crowns, brown wings with less obvious white lesser coverts, and a light-colored face. The tail is identical at all ages.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Nathan May · CC BY 4.0

Thick-billed Longspur

Rhynchophanes mccownii

Small26 gGrassland

The thick-billed longspur is about 15 cm (5.9 in) long, has a wingspan of 28 cm (11 in) and weighs around 25 g (0.88 oz). It has a large cone-shaped bill, a streaked back, a rust-coloured shoulder and a white tail with a dark tip. In breeding plumage, the male has a white throat and underparts, a grey face and nape and a black crown. Breeding females are largely gray, with a pale bill and rusty tinged median coverts and scapulars. Non-breeding males are similar to females but with crowns spotted rather than streaked, and more chestnut on their median coverts and scapulars.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Tristan A. McKnight · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Smith's Longspur and Thick-billed Longspur.