Lapland Longspur - Iona Island, BC
The Lapland Longspur at the Iona Jetty showed crisp brown streaking, a pale face. If you look closely you can see the species’ trademark long hind spur visible in the photo. This elongated toe helps confirm the identification and separates it from other ground-foraging sparrows. The breeding plumage is strikingly different which can be seen in the far north. The bird fed among the low growing grasses atop of the pipe with steady, deliberate movements typical of wintering longspurs. The species name comes from Lapland, the northern region of Scandinavia. This is where these birds were first described by early European naturalists. This Arctic breeder remains an uncommon but regular visitor to coastal British Columbia in winter. Find a guide that will take you out on the jetty to find your bird.