LOUISIANA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE

REPORT FORM

     

1. English and Scientific names: Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus)

2. Number of individuals, sexes, ages, general plumage (e.g., 2 in alternate plumage):

 One presumed female in (1st?) basic plumage

3. Locality: Parish:   _Jeff Davis___________________________________________

   Specific Locality: __Thornwell airstrip on Marceaux X Aguillard rds._____

4. Date(s) when observed: 4 November 2012

5. Time(s) of day when observed: Between 5-6pm

6. Reporting observer and address: Daniel Lane 119 Foster Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803

 

7. Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s): Eric Hynes (coleader), various other observers from Field Guides tour group.

8. Other observers who independently identified the bird(s): None.

9. Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light): Clear sky, late afternoon-sunset sunlight,

10. Optical equipment (type, power, condition): Leica 10x42 binoculars and Leica Televid scope with 20-60X lens.

11. Distance to bird(s): at closest, probably only about 3m.

12. Duration of observation: Approximately an hour.

13. Habitat: Short-cropped grass on cropduster airstrip.

14. Behavior of bird / circumstances of observation (flying, feeding, resting; include and stress habits used in identification; relate events surrounding observation): Originally kicked up, when it flew several meters ahead on strip and landed again. We then relocated it on the ground and observed it at length through scope and binoculars. While on ground, it was very ‘mousy’, sneaking through grass and feeding on small seeds on grass seed heads.

15. Description (include only what was actually seen, not what "should" have been seen; include if possible: total length/relative size compared to other familiar species, body bulk, shape, proportions, bill, eye, leg, and plumage characteristics. Stress features that separate it from similar species): A large sparrow-like bird with buffy plumage, light streaking on back and breast. Weakly outlined auriculars and streaks on crown. In flight, bold white outer rectrices noted, with white extending onto bases of inner rectrices, but these same feathers black at tips (forming a triangular black tip to the tail broken by brown central rectices). Short primary extension noted.

16. Voice: Both ‘kiddle’ and rattle calls heard (and recorded on video clips). We played both Smith’s and Chestnut-collared longspur recordings to it, and it responded with rattles to the Chestnut-collared recordings.

17. Similar species (include how they were eliminated by your observation): Lapland usually has a yellowish bill, bolder head pattering, white only on the outermost rectrices (and even width of white) and a different voice. McCown’s Longspur has different bill shape and ‘blanker’ face, different calls. Smith’s Longspur has longer primary extension, a similar tail pattern to Lapland, different call. In addition, as noted above, this bird did not respond to Smith’s playback, but did to Chestnut-collared.

18. Photographs or tape recordings obtained? (by whom? attached?): Yes, photographs and video (including vocalizations) by Dan Lane. Submitted to Donna Dittmann.

19. Previous experience with this species: Strictly on the breeding grounds in Montana and Colorado, but there I learned the voice.

20. Identification aids: (list books, illustrations, other birders, etc. used in identification):

a. at time of observation: Stokes western bird sounds.

b. after observation: National Geographic, Sibley.

21. This description is written from: _____ notes made during the observation (_____notes attached?);_____notes made after the observation (date:_____); _X__memory.

22. Are you positive of your identification if not, explain: Yes. Comparing the features in the videos with references, it is clear that only Chestnut-collared Longspur matches.

23. Date:_5 Nov 2012__Time:__12:45pm_