Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2025-10
| Common name: |
Chestnut-collared Longspur |
| Scientific name: | Calcarius ornatus |
| Date: | 02/15/25 |
| Time: | roughly 9am |
| Length of time observed: | 4 Hrs |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | Partial non breeding adult |
| Sex: | Male |
| Location: | Howell Valley |
| County: | Box Elder |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | |
| Distance to bird: | variable. throughout the day, got within 15 Ft. |
| Optical equipment: | Vortex 10x42's, Nikon Camera with 500m lense, Leupold SX-4 25-50x85 |
| Weather: | sunny, light breeze, 8" of snow on the ground from the night before. |
| Light Conditions: | bright. |
| Description: Size of bird: | sparrow sized bird. |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Basic sparrow shape. |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | light gray brown, with rusty collar, and dark chest. |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | medium sized sparrow like bill. |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
beautiful nonbreeding male that was closing in on breeding plumage.
light gray, tan base color, with a dark to black chest and undersides,
but not quite as fully black as a breeding male. Streaked brown back,
bright rusty chestnut collar coming in, with a dark "ear spot", and a
blonde supercillium and "Mustache". (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | Frequent Squeaky rattle calls, that could be described as Squirrely. |
| Behavior: | Mostly stuck to the road to feed. the snow from the night before, had forced everything to the road. this longspur was seemingly tied to the road, even when HOLA's would get up and flock around, the longspur would stay down and continue feeding. we were able to observe this bird frequently through the day, for large chunks of time. |
| Habitat: | grassy AG fields in Howell. snowy conditions. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Lapland longspur; we were able to rule out LALO due to the presence of black in the chest and underparts, plus the
bright chestnut collar cements this bird as a CCLO. Thick-Billed Longspur; We were able to rule out TBLO due to the extensive black in the chest and underparts, where a TBLO would only have a Smaller black V band in the chest. the chestnut collar rules out TBLO, as well as the lack of a large pink bill. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
this was my second sighting of CCLO, the first being a female. I had previous experience with the more common LALO. |
| References consulted: | Sibley Guide, Merlin sound recordings. |
| Description from: |
Notes taken at the time of the sighting From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting |
| Observer: | McKay Olson |
| Observer's address: | |
| Observer's e-mail address: | macman3423@gmail.com** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Esther Sumner, Bryant Olsen, Deanna McLaughlin, and many others. There ended up possibly being 3 CCLO in Howell for the remaining month. |
| Date prepared: | 3/14/25 |
| Additional material: | |
| Additional comments: |