Chestnut-collared Longspur Calcarius ornatus
Flight call description A soft, slurred "chee-dle" or a shortened "chedp" is the most common flight call. Sometimes mixed with these notes are a descending "heew" and a soft musical "pi-di-di-di-di" rattle call.
Fig.1. Texas March 13, 1997 (WRE).
"Chee-dle" call from bird in flight.
Fig.2. Texas March 13, 1997 (WRE).
"Chedp" call from bird in flight.
Fig.3. Texas March 13, 1997 (WRE).
Rattle call from bird in flight.
Fig.4. Colorado July 14, 2001 (MO).
Short rattle call from bird in flight.
Fig.5. Texas March 13, 1997 (WRE).
"Heew" call from bird in flight.
Examples
Diurnal calling sequences:
1. Texas March13, 1997 (WRE). Bird in flight giving series of "chee-dle" and "chpd" notes.
2. Texas March 13, 1997 (WRE). Bird in flight giving rattle call and "chee-dle" and "chpd" notes.
3. Texas March 13, 1997 (WRE). Flock in flight giving rattle call, "chee-dle", and "chpd" notes.
4. Colorado July 14, 2001 (MO). Bird in flight giving "chee-dle", "heew", and short rattle calls.
Similar species "Heew" call very similar to Snow Bunting's "ptheew". Lapland Longspur's "tzeew" is higher-pitched, burrier, and less descending. Also similar to Horned Lark's "seer" but lower and softer. See Longspur rattles.
Behavior Presumed to be a nocturnal migrant based on the behavior of McCown's and Lapland longspurs but also engages in limited diurnal migration. Gives flight call regularly while perched and in flight during the day. Not known to give flight calls during nocturnal migration.
Spectrographic description See Longspur rattles.