Nature Saskatchewan is drawing attention to one of the province’s most unique and endangered grassland birds, the chestnut-collared longspur.
“This is a super cool grassland specialist songbird,” explained Emily Putz, Habitat Stewardship Coordinator with Nature Saskatchewan. “They have a very bold colouring and they’re the 2025 Avian Ambassadors of Birds Canada.”
The chestnut-collared longspur is a striking species. Males feature a vivid black chest, yellow throat, and a distinctive reddish-orange patch on the nape of the neck, the namesake chestnut collar. They also sport a black-and-white mask behind their eyes. Females, on the other hand, are more camouflaged with streaky brown colouring, helping them blend into their nesting sites on the ground.
But despite their charm, longspurs are in trouble.
“They’ve declined as much as 96% in Canada since the 1970s,” said Putz. “They were considered threatened for a while, but now they’ve been uplisted to endangered.”
The primary reason for their decline is habitat loss. As grassland specialists, longspurs depend on native prairie, specifically areas with very short vegetation. Historically, this type of habitat was created by natural prairie fires and large bison herds grazing the land. But with those natural processes largely gone, they now depend on ranching to replicate the habitat.
“They rely heavily on our ranching community,” said Putz. “They can only really be found where there’s native grassland still intact, and it’s been grazed to the length that they like. So, they go hand in hand with our cows.”
Currently, only about 13 percent of Saskatchewan’s native prairie remains. Even within that small portion, the very specific conditions required by the longspur are not always present. That makes livestock pastures, when managed correctly, one of the last refuges for the species.
For landowners, Putz encourages keeping native grasslands intact. “Once it’s cultivated, it’s extremely difficult to restore it to its natural state,” she said. “It takes years and years.”
She also urges the public to help in another way: by reporting sightings.
“If people know what the bird looks like and what it sounds like, they can report sightings, and that really helps us,” Putz explained. “Like a lot of rare species, they’re often just not well known. So, we rely on the public to help us get a snapshot of where they’re living and how they’re doing.”
Sightings can be reported directly to Nature Saskatchewan via their toll-free “Hoot Line” at 1-800-667-HOOT (4668), or by email at outreach@naturesask.ca. Photos, when possible, are especially helpful in confirming sightings.
For more information on how to get involved in species monitoring or habitat stewardship programs, visit the Nature Sask website.
“We really just want to raise awareness,” said Putz. “They’re one of our rarest birds, and every report we get makes a difference.”