MOURC Proceedings Archive - Longspurs and Snow Buntings Accepted
Duplicates
This is the 1981 to present Records Committee Proceedings archive for
The Loon, journal of the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
The last 2 years are available to MOU members.
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Longspurs and Snow Buntings
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Proceedings
Species: Longspurs and Snow Buntings
Chestnut-collared Longspur
Smith's Longspur
Thick-billed Longspur

Thick-billed Longspur (A) (Rhynchophanes mccownii)Start Date 1936-01-01
RefFirstLastLocationCounty23CommentStatus
1:0Roberts1889-05-16Lac qui ParlespecimenAccepted
2:0Roberts1890-05-08Lac qui ParlespecimenAccepted
3:0Roberts1890-06-05Pipestonenest, 3 eggsAccepted
4:0Roberts1891-05-16Lake BentonLincolnfive nests, 3, 3, 4, 4, 3 eggs respectivelyAccepted
5:0Roberts1894-06-011894-07-31MadisonLac qui ParlebreedingAccepted
6:0Roberts1895-05-19Lake BentonLincoln2 nests, 4 eggs eachAccepted
7:0Roberts1895-06-011895-07-31MadisonLac qui ParlebreedingAccepted
8:0Roberts1897-05-23Lake BentonLincolnnest, 4 eggsAccepted
9:0Roberts1897-07-27Lake BentonLincolnfully fledged youngAccepted
10:0Roberts1899-05-211899-05-23Lake BentonLincolnnest, 4 eggs, another nest, 3 eggsAccepted
54:421935-10-20near HassmanAitkin(vote 0-7) This previously published record (Auk 53:342), was reconsidered and found to be unacceptable; although the plumage description of the two birds strongly suggested they were McCown's, the main problem of this Spring 1982 record was that they were said to be in a mixed flock made up primarily of Chestnut-collared Longspurs with no Laplands present. Since such a species composition is most unlikely, even in 1935, it was felt the observer may well have erred in his identifications. Not Accepted
54:1951982indexFirst 20th Century Record of McCown's Longspur in Minnesota
11:1MOU1982-06-11Grand MaraisCookThe Loon 54:195Accepted
avian
information
1982-06-11Cook6/11 Cook (first state record) (first county record)
Male at Grand Marais, Cook Co. (The Loon 54:195).
58:198-1991986indexA McCown's Longspur in Duluth
12:2MOU1986-10-191986-10-2040th Avenue West, DuluthSt. LouisThe Loon 58:198Accepted
avian
information
1986-10-191986-10-20St. Louis10/19-20 St. Louis (second state record) (first county record)
10/19 and 10/20 Duluth RJ, P. Egeland et al. (The Loon 58:198-199).
60:131987-10-17Redrock RidgeCottonwood(vote 3-4). Although the description of the tail pattern and black breast band seemed to indicate an adult male McCown's in breeding plumage, the majority had four~rese rvations about the record: 1) the bird was only seen briefly as it flew overhead, and there is no indication why the observer was sure it was a longspur and not a Homed Lark or something else; 2) the tail pattern was only seen from below, and the distinction between the undersides of longspur tails is not clear and difficult to see; 3) the black of the breast could also fit an adult male Lapland or Chestnut-collared Longspur molting from breeding to winter plumage; and 4) it was felt that by mid-October an adult male McCown's Longspur would have already molted out of breeding plumage and not appear as the observer described . Not Accepted
65:331992-10-18Rothsay W.M.A.Wilkin(vote 0-7). The Spring 1993 six individuals seen among a longspur flock were primarily identified on the basis of their "chestnut colored wing shoulder." However, Vesper Sparrows and Horned Larks also have chestnut on their median wing coverts (i.e., "shoulders"); it is also possible the observer was actually seeing the chestnut greater coverts of Lapland Longspurs, a field mark he was apparently unaware of. Not Accepted
13:372:1642000-05-08DuluthSt. Louis(record #2000-32, vote 7–0). Accepted
avian
information
2000-05-08St. Louis5/8 St. Louis (third state record) (second county record)
Adult male reported 5/8 St. Louis (40th Ave. West/Erie Pier area in Duluth) PBe, †DBe, †PS et al.(The Loon 72:246–247). Third Minnesota occurrence in past 100 years!
 
 Former summer resident southwest. Three records since 1900: 1 spring, 1 summer, and 1 fall. Last recorded in 2000.

Notes:

The information in the above table comes from several different sources. The count in column 1 indicates which of the sources is considered the primary source.
'Accepted' MOURC entries from The MOURC Proceedings
'Not Accepted' or 'Rejected' MOURC entry from The MOURC Proceedings
Accepted MOU records assembled by David Cahlander
Sighting records for ()
Avian information from the occurrence maps, in dark red, assembled by Robert Janssen. Seasonal report for the species/season published in The Loon or The Flicker has been added.
Information from The Loon index assembled by Anthony Hertzel and David Cahlander