Birds of North Carolina:
their Distribution and Abundance
Chestnut-collared Longspur - Calcarius ornatus
CALCARIIDAE Members: 		Search Common:                 Search Scientific:
General Comments Casual stray. There are four records of this High Plains species: one from the Piedmont, a female at the Charlotte Motor Speedway (Cabarrus), 28 Feb until early Mar 1992* [Chat 62:185-86 link]; one from the mountains, a female or male in basic plumage at the southeastern corner of Great Smoky Mountains NP (Haywood) for several days in mid-May 2001* [Chat 66:4 link]; and two from the coast -- a female from Fort Fisher (New Hanover), 22 Apr to 2 May 2011* [Chat 75:132-33 link], [Chat 76:3 link] (photos on the Carolina Bird Club website), and a breeding-plumaged male photographed at Cape Hatteras Point (Dare), 17 May 2018* [Chat 82:92 link], [Chat 83:18 link].
Breeding Status Nonbreeder
NC BRC List Definitive
State Status
U.S. Status
State Rank SA
Global Rank G5
Coastal Plain Two records (see above). Photographs of each bird are on the Carolina Bird Club Photo Gallery.
Piedmont One record (see above).
Mountains One record (see above).
Finding Tips
1/2*
Attribution LeGrand[2023-03-28], LeGrand[2019-04-19], LeGrand[2018-11-09]
NC Map
Map depicts all counties with a report (transient or resident) for the species.		Click on county for list of all known species.