The Thick-billed Longspur — formerly called McCown's Longspur — is a grassland sparrow of shortgrass prairies of the Great Plains. The thick, sparrow-like bill distinguishes it from the Lapland Longspur. Breeding males have a bold black chest crescent and cap. The white tail with T-shaped dark central feathers is diagnostic in flight. It was renamed in 2020 due to the Confederate past of the person it was named after.
Best time to see a Thick-billed Longspur
The best time to see a Thick-billed Longspur is January–June, when about 66% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 762 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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Recent Thick-billed Longspur sightings near you
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