Thick-billed Longspur
Adobe Stock
L 6â, WS 11â, 0.81 oz. Male is gray overall with a white neck, crescent-shaped black patch on chest, and rufous shoulders. Female is light brown. Black âTâ on white tail.
Status in North Dakota
Possibly extirpated. Occurs in North Dakota from mid-April to September. Peak breeding season late May to mid-July.
Range Map
Thick-billed Longspur possible/uncommon (light gray) and historical (black hatch) breeding range.
Reason for SWAP Designation
Regionally and globally imperiled (SGCN a.).
The Thick-billed Longspur is declining precipitously, and the population has decreased 94% since 1970.
Prior to European settlement of North Dakota, Thick-billed Longspur was rather common over the western half of the state.
From 1905-1930, the species declined rapidly, and the breeding range constricted substantially.
This species is at imminent risk of extirpation from North Dakota.
Threats
Loss of grassland.
Specifically, the loss of expansive, native shortgrass prairie habitat.
Loss of ranching heritage and grass-based operations, grazing is essential to grassland health and diversity.
Classified as climate-endangered, Thick-billed Longspur is projected to lose more than half of its current distribution by 2050, with no net gains of new areas (Audubon).
Research and Monitoring
Habitat requirements and demographic studies have been broadly researched on the breeding grounds.
Additional information is needed on migration and wintering behaviors.
The Breeding Bird Survey, eBird and Partners in Flight Databases are key sources of information on distribution and population trends.
Management Recommendations
- Protect and conserve large, intact tracks of native shortgrass prairie/unbroken grassland.
- Reconstruct or restore grassland adjacent to existing tracts of native prairie/unbroken grassland.
- Use native grasses when replanting or restoring grassland.
- Promote well-managed grazing lands and working grasslands for biodiversity, sustainability, and resiliency.
- Prevent or remove shrubs and tall woody vegetation in grasslands, either mechanically or by prescribed fire.
- Use prescribed burns in areas where fire has been suppressed.
- Avoid or minimize placement of development (e.g. energy, housing, utility lines) or other human infrastructure in native prairie/unbroken grassland.
- Follow beneficial or best practices during the design, siting, construction, operation, and maintenance of tall structures (e.g. transmission lines, communication towers, wind turbines).
Primary Geological Regions
Habitat Associations
Habitat Use
Thick-billed Longspurs are found in open shortgrass or heavily grazed mixed-grass prairie with little litter and low vegetation cover.
Smallgrain stubble fields and summer fallow fields are occasionally used.
Often breed on high, barren hillsides with a southern exposure.
Associated vegetation includes blue grama and buffalo grass.
Nests are often placed near a clump of grass, shrubs, plains prickly pear, or a cowpie.
Pairs often nest near each other, and each territory requires 0.5-1.5 ha.
Primary food includes seeds of grasses and forbs but also feeds on insects and other arthropods.