ALASKA LONGSPUR 1623 



and takes three days; only the female performs this task. The eggs 

 are laid on successive days immediately following the completion of 

 the nest. The average clutch consists of 4.7 to 4.9 eggs and these are 

 incubated for 12 days. The young birds remain in the nest for an 

 average of 9 days and begin flying at the age of 12 days. Molt is 

 initiated promptly in late June and early July, and the birds gather 

 in small flocks by mid-July. 



The longspur flocks feed quietly on the ground and may go un- 

 noticed until approached closely. Gabrielson and Lincoln (1959) 

 describe this flocking behavior very well: 



After the breeding season, they gather in small groups, which gradually unite 

 into flocks that sometimes consist of thousands of individuals by the time they 

 reach their wintering grounds in the northern States. These flocks have the 

 characteristic habit of taking flight when alarmed, flying in great sweeping circles, 

 and then returning to alight on the same spot or very close to it. At other times, 

 however, they may take off and go straight away, completely out of sight, before 

 alighting again. 



As the birds move morthward in spring the behavior differs some- 

 what as the compact flocks pause only to feed for a short time before 

 moving on. 



These aggregations take flight readily and seem unusually wary 

 when contrasted with the tameness of the individuals scattered on 

 their nesting territories. Their behavior is frequently like that 

 Grinnell (1900) observed at Kotzebue Sound: "I would frequently 

 meet with a male longspur standing motionless on some conspicuous 

 hummock. If I approached too close he would attempt to get out of 

 my way by stealthily running to one side, but if pressed he would take 

 flight and mount upwards, circling high overhead and uttering his 

 pleasing song." I also have noted that territorial males pressed into 

 flight often respond by initiating the flight song. 



Voice. — The varied vocalizations of this species include the con- 

 spicuous song of the breeding male, call notes, the alarm notes of both 

 sexes, the alarm notes of the female when frightened from the nest, and 

 flocking notes used during the non-breeding season. 



Nelson (1887) writes vividly of the song of the male: 



The males, as if conscious of their handsome plumage, choose the tops of the 

 only breaks in the monotonous level, which are small rounded knolls and tussocks. 

 The male utters its song as it flies upward from one ofthcse knolls and when it 

 reaches the height of 10 or 15 yards it extends the points of its wings upwards, 

 forming a large V-shaped figure, and floats gently to the ground, uttering, as it 

 slowly sinks, its liquid tones, which fall in tinkling succession upon the ear, and 

 are perhaps the sweetest notes that one hears during the entire spring-time in 

 these regions. It is an exquisite jingling melody, having much less power than 

 that of the Bobolink, but with the same general character, and, though shorter, 

 it has even more melody that the song of that well-known bird. 



