The points that Wes makes as to why the Longspur was a female are good
points for showing that Longspurs of either sex are variable in the
winter, but they are on diagnostic for female plumage.

Checking the master guide it dose say that CCLO females can have traces
of Chestnut on the nape and black on the belly, so can the males.
However, the Identication Guide to North American Passerines states;

Age-
"Check also for the amount of white in the lesser and middle coverts of
Hatch Year/Sex Year birds and After Hatch Year/After Sex Year males in
both basic and alternate plumage.

Sex-
Males: Crown and breast black or mixed black and chestnut (March-August)
or black with brown mottling (August-March): nape chestnut or tinged with
chestnut: lesser coverts mostly white.

Female: Crown, breast, nape, and lesser coverts buffy brown.

I was fortunate enough to watch the bird preen its underwing coverts from
about 10 feet. They were white.

I would still say, that this bird was a male.

As always, I am still open for comments to sway me the other way.

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Russell Rogers
4510 Glenn Way SW
Seattle, WA 98116
(206) 935-6280
rrogers at halcyon.com
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