Chestnut-collared longspur facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chestnut-collared longspur |
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Calcarius
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| Species: |
ornatus
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The chestnut-collared longspur (Calcarius ornatus) is a small, special bird. It belongs to a group of birds called longspurs. These birds usually eat seeds and find their food on the ground. They live in prairies in Canada and the northern United States during the summer. When winter comes, they fly south to warmer parts of the United States and Mexico.
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What Does a Chestnut-Collared Longspur Look Like?
These birds have a short, cone-shaped beak. Their backs are streaked with different colors. They also have a white tail with a dark tip.
During breeding season, the male longspur looks very colorful. He has a black belly and a yellow throat. The back of his neck is a reddish-brown color, like a chestnut. He also has a black cap on his head.
Other longspurs, like females and young birds, look a bit different. They have light brown bellies and dark caps. Their wings are brown, and some might have a little chestnut color on their necks.
How Big Are These Birds?
- Length: About 13 to 16.5 centimeters (5.1 to 6.5 inches)
- Weight: Around 17 to 23 grams (0.6 to 0.8 ounces)
- Wingspan: About 25 to 27 centimeters (9.8 to 10.6 inches)
Where Do Chestnut-Collared Longspurs Live?
These birds make their homes in short and mixed-grass prairies. You can find them in central Canada and the north-central United States.
When winter arrives, they migrate south. They fly in large groups to open fields and prairies. These winter homes are in the southern United States and Mexico.
Like many other prairie birds, their numbers have gone down in some places. This is because their natural homes (prairies) are shrinking. However, they are still quite common in many areas.
Sometimes, people do "controlled burns" in prairies. This means they carefully set small fires. These fires can actually help the longspurs. After a fire, it's easier for the birds to find low-growing plants to eat.
How Do Chestnut-Collared Longspurs Behave?
These birds spend most of their time looking for food on the ground. In winter, they often gather in large groups. They mainly eat seeds, but in the summer, they also eat insects. Young birds are mostly fed insects by their parents.
Nesting and Raising Young
The female longspur builds a nest on the ground. It's a cup-shaped nest made of grass. She lays about 4 or 5 eggs in a shallow dip in the ground.
The male bird sings to protect his area. He might also fly up into the air to show off his territory. Both the mother and father birds work together to feed their young.
The call of the chestnut-collared longspur sounds like "chee dee."
See also
In Spanish: Escribano collarejo para niños
