longspur

[lawng-spur, long-]

noun

1. any of several fringillid birds of the genus Calcarius of tundra or prairie regions of North America, characterized by a long spurlike hind claw on each foot.

longspur

/ ˈlɒŋˌspɜː /

noun

1. any of various Arctic and North American buntings of the genera Calcarius and Rhyncophanes, all of which have a long claw on the hind toe

Word History and Origins

Origin of longspur¹

First recorded in 1825–35; long ¹ + spur ¹

Example Sentences

The AOS took a broader look at eponymic birds in the wake of its Longspur decision, and its November announcement landed as a surprise across the natural sciences.

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And in 2020 the AOS removed an eponym that honored a Confederate general and replaced it with the common species name Thick-billed Longspur.

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The Longspur decision had reversed one made just a year prior that then upheld the original name.

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In 2020, the organization renamed a bird once referring to a Confederate Army general, John P. McCown, as the thick-billed longspur.

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The results indicated that protected areas remain important for the conservation of northern bird species such as the Lapland longspur, which breeds in Finland as well.

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