IBRC 41-B-11

IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

SPECIES: Lapland Longspur
HOW MANY: 1 - unknown age/sex R

EPORTER: Alex Lamoreaux 806 Lexington Ave, Hershey, PA 17033 (717-943-7086)
REPORTER EMAIL: alamroeaux@verizon.net
OTHER OBSERVERS: Morgan Parks was present, but I found the bird.

DATE REPORT PREPARED: 7/5/11
DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED: June 14th, 2011

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION: Emmett A Area of Critical Environmental Concern (43.794888,-116.58108) This is BLM land near Emmett and Sandhollow, Idaho.
HABITAT: prairie/grassland
CONDITIONS: Brief sighting of the bird as it flew from me. I walked closer and got a very brief look of the bird on the ground and then it flew away and I saw the rust-red neck and dark back.

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?: Yes, later the same day
DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?: Yes, later the same day
WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?: Sibley Field Guide to Birds and Kaufman Field Guide to Birds

DESCRIPTION: Dark back, striking markings on head and neck. I didnt get a good enough look a the front of the bird to determine male or female, my guess would be female though.
BEHAVIOR: Foraging and then flying

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU? When I saw it, I knew it was a Lapland Longspur based on color, shape, and size.
HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY? Plumage wasnt right for Chestnut-collared Longspur and the bird was not at all the correct colors for a Horned Lark or any other species we typically see at the sites.

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES): I have seen Lapland Longspurs multiple times in Pennsylvania.
GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE: I have been birding for my entire life (22 years). I would say I am an expert.

WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?: None