180 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 73 



Plain, usually absent north of St. Croix Falls. Normal winter flock size is 

 10-30. The largest daily total on a CBC (Afton) is 174 on 1 January 1968. 



Chestnut-collared Longspur [Calcarius ornatus) 

 Status: Accidental, one record. 



Record: K. H. Dueholm observed three chestnut-collared longspurs in a 

 flock of lapland longspurs on 20 March 1976, 4.8 km north of Star Prairie, 

 Polk County. 



Snow Bunting {Plectrophenax nivalis) 

 Status: Regular migrant and winter resident. 



Migration: Common (locally abundant) migrant in the Western Upland, 

 Central Plain, and unforested regions of the Northern Highland. Fall 

 migrants arrive in the Northern Highland 10-20 October (earliest— 5 Oc- 

 tober 1952, Burnett County) and the Western Upland 20-30 October. Peak 

 fall migration occurs 10 November to 1 December. Peak spring migration 

 occurs 1-15 March and departure by 15 April (latest— 30 April 1971, Bur- 

 nett County). 



Winter: Fairly common (locally common) winter resident in the unforested 

 areas of the Valley. Christmas Bird Count data suggest that largest num- 

 bers occur in the Central Plain and Northern Highland. The largest group on 

 record (2,500) was recorded by N. R. Stone at Crex Meadows, Burnett 

 County, on 21 December 1950. 



Habitat: Primarily a species of open country using heavily grazed tame 

 pasture, fall plowed agricultural fields, and corn or oat stubble. In the 

 Northern Highland, occasional use is made of grassy railroad rights-of-way 

 that traverse extensive hardwood forest stands. 



Acknowledgments 



This report has been greatly enhanced by the observations and contribu- 

 tions of many birders and ornithologists too numerous to mention indi- 

 vidually. The entire manuscript benefited from critical reviews by D. R. 

 Bystrak, J. C. Green, C. S. Robbins, S. D. Robbins, and D. D. Tessen. Indi- 

 vidual sections of the manuscript were critically reviewed by B. A, Moss 

 (waterfowl), K. H. Dueholm, and J. W, Richardson (habitats). Additional 

 suggestions and comments on various portions of the manuscript were pro- 

 vided by H. F. Duebbert, C. L. Henderson, R. L. Hine, D. H. Johnson, H. A. 

 Kantrud, and R. L. Kologiski. Publication of these data was originally pro- 

 posed by E. Lanis. 



The staff of the Northern Prairie WildUfe Research Center contributed in 

 many ways. R. L. Duval and C. W. Shaiffer prepared the figures. E. K. 

 Bartels provided extensive bibhographic support. 



