Verification of Unusual Sight Record
For Utah

Rec. # 2021-04


Common name:

Thick-billed Longspur  [McCown's L.]

Scientific name: Rhynchophanes mccownii
Date: 1/10/2021
Time: 1:05PM
Length of time observed: 90 minutes
Number: 2
Age: Adult and unknown
Sex: Male and unknown
Location: Blue Creek Valley
County: Box Elder
Latilong: 41.736774, -112.457926
Elevation: 4500ft
Distance to bird: 12m at closest
Optical equipment: Kowa 20-60 spotting scope, Nikon 10 X 42 binoculars
Weather: Overcast, calm and cold, 27F
Light Conditions: OK, Flat light
Description:        Size of bird: small passerine
(Description:)       Basic Shape: Plump and short tailed
(Description:)  Overall Pattern: Mostly gray-brown
(Description:)            Bill Type: granivore
(Description:)                              
Field Marks and
Identifying Characteristics:
As I was driving a dirt road in wheat fields, a small group of Horned Larks flushed from the road, as they flew south I heard a rattle call of a longspur, so I pulled over and got the scope out and scanned where they landed, and quickly found a Lapland Longspur mixed in. As I was watching the Lapland a Thick-billed Longspur popped up out of the snow into view, I noted the facial pattern of bold supercilium contrasting with a dark cheek, lateral throat stripe and pale throat with a huge over sized head and large stout pink bill(Muppet headed longspur is my proposed new name for them), then I saw the black breast chevron and rusty wing bar. Shortly another popped up next to it. One was an adult male in basic plumage with a bold black chevron, the others chevron was more faded making it a NAM(non-adult male or female). We watched them feeding in the field for sometime, then a large flock of Horned Larks flew in and they joined that flock, which was very flighty moving around a lot, but I was able to relocate the Laplands and Thick-billed Longspurs fairly easily several times over then next hour as I continued to scan the flock for additional species of Longspurs. At one point one flew over us calling and I saw the distinctive white tail with the dark T, and they even landed in the road nearby.
(see photos)
Song or call & method of delivery: Heard giving "rattle" calls and clear whistles in flight
Behavior: Feeding on seeds in wheat fields in a large mixed flock mostly composed of Horned Larks with several Lapland Longspurs as well
Habitat: Mostly wheat fields with weedy edges and mixed grassland-sagebrush nearby.
Similar species and how
were they eliminated:
Horned Lark(female/juvenile)-Larger and longer tailed, faint mask on face contrasting with white throat, dark collar, direct comparison.

Lapland Longspur-Generally more contrasting and colorful, orange nape, black auriculars, black streaking on flanks and white belly, smaller orange-pink bill, rust wing coverts with 2 white wing bars, more slender build and normal sized head, direct comparison.

Chestnut-collared Longspur-Smaller darker bill and white wing bars in wing coverts, normal sized head.
Previous experience with
this & similar species:
Yes, several
References consulted: Memory
Description from: From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting
Observer: Bryant Olsen
Observer's address: 84102
Observer's e-mail address: **
Other observers who independently identified this bird: Vivian Schneggenburger and Lauri Taylor were with me, we were also briefly joined by 2 people from Wasatch Audubon, I can't recall their names?
Date prepared: 1/10/21
Additional material: Photos
Additional comments: eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S79046226