Lapland Longspur
Calcarius lapponicus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyCalcariidae (Longspurs and Snow Buntings)
- GenusCalcarius (Typical Longspurs)
- SpeciesCalcarius lapponicus (Lapland Longspur)
About the Lapland Longspur
The Lapland longspur (Calcarius lapponicus), also known as the Lapland bunting, is a passerine bird in the longspur family Calcariidae. It is a circumpolar arctic breeder and the only member of the genus Calcarius present in Eurasia.
The Lapland longspur was formally described in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae. He placed it with the finches in the genus Fringilla and coined the binomial name Fringilla lapponica. The family is now generally separated by modern authors from the Fringillidae (Old World finches). The Lapland longspur is now one of three longspurs placed in the genus Calcarius that was introduced in 1802 by the German naturalist Johann Matthäus Bechstein. The English name refers to the long hind claws. The genus name Calcarius is from Latin calcaria, "spurs", and the specific lapponicus refers to Lapland.
Five subspecies are recognised: C. l. subcalcaratus (Brehm, CL, 1826) – north Canada and Greenland C. l. lapponicus (Linnaeus, 1758) – north Europe and north Asia C. l. kamtschaticus Portenko, 1937 – northeast Siberia C. l. alascensis Ridgway, 1898 – extreme east Siberia, Alaska and northwest Canada... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Lapland Longspur in Gates of the Arctic National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Gates of the Arctic National Park
Smith's Longspur
Calcarius pictus
Snow Bunting
Plectrophenax nivalis
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
Common Redpoll
Acanthis flammea
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Gray Jay
Perisoreus canadensis
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Setophaga coronata
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Swainson's Thrush
Catharus ustulatus
White-winged Crossbill
Loxia leucoptera
Northern Waterthrush
Parkesia noveboracensis
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wrangell-St. Elias National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 3 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Denali National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Celestún Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 6 | Snowdonia National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 7 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Point Pelee National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 9 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 12 | Wood Buffalo National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 13 | Katmai National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 14 | Isle Royale National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 15 | Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park | 🇲🇳 Mongolia | |
| 16 | Namdapha National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 17 | Kiskunság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 18 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 19 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Lapland Longspur in Gates of the Arctic National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Lapland Longspur sighting in Gates of the Arctic National Park, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Lapland Longspur in Gates of the Arctic National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Lapland Longspur in Gates of the Arctic National Park in our monthly data.