Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) is in the Longspurs and Snow Buntings family (Calcariidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 3,463 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in January.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: seasonal. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Lapland Longspur: observations by month (U.S.)
About Lapland Longspur
The Lapland longspur (Calcarius lapponicus), also known as the Lapland bunting, is a passerine bird in the longspur family Calcariidae, a group separated by most modern authors from the Fringillidae (Old World finches).From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Lapland Longspur by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 733 | June | May–Jul |
| Illinois | 243 | January | Oct–Feb |
| California | 238 | November | Oct–Nov |
| Ohio | 236 | February | Jan–Feb |
| Minnesota | 154 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Michigan | 143 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Oregon | 131 | October | Oct–Nov |
| Massachusetts | 121 | January | Oct–Feb |
| New York | 108 | February | Jan–Feb |
| Washington | 106 | October | Sep–Nov |
| Vermont | 99 | February | Jan–Feb |
| Tennessee | 96 | January | Dec–Jan |
| Texas | 91 | January | Dec–Jan |
| Wisconsin | 78 | February | Jan–Feb |
| Maryland | 73 | January | Dec–Feb |
| Pennsylvania | 67 | January | Nov–Feb |
| Indiana | 58 | February | Dec–Feb |
| Connecticut | 54 | October | Oct–Feb |
| Missouri | 54 | December | Dec–Feb |
| New Jersey | 51 | February | Oct–Feb |
| Colorado | 49 | December | Dec–Feb |
| Oklahoma | 37 | January | Dec–Feb |
| Utah | 37 | January | Dec–Jan |
| New Hampshire | 32 | January | Oct–Feb |
| Arizona | 31 | January | Jan–Feb |
| North Dakota | 30 | January | Jan–Jan |
| Florida | 28 | November | Nov–Nov |
| Maine | 28 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Montana | 26 | February | Oct–Feb |
| Virginia | 26 | January | Dec–Mar |
| Alabama | 23 | January | Jan–Jan |
| Kansas | 22 | December | Dec–Feb |
| Iowa | 21 | January | Dec–Feb |
| South Dakota | 19 | November | Nov–Jan |
| Kentucky | 16 | January | Jan–Feb |
| Louisiana | 15 | February | Jan–Feb |
| Rhode Island | 15 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Delaware | 13 | January | Jan–Jan |
| Nebraska | 13 | January | Nov–Mar |
| Idaho | 10 | March | Oct–Mar |
| North Carolina | 8 | November | Nov–Nov |
| Arkansas | 7 | December | Dec–Dec |
| Mississippi | 7 | February | Dec–Feb |
| New Mexico | 7 | November | Nov–Mar |
| Georgia | 6 | December | Nov–Jan |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Longspurs and Snow Buntings)
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lapland Longspur?
Nationally, January has the most observations, with the main season from October to February.
Where is Lapland Longspur most often seen?
The most observations come from Alaska, Illinois, California.