When do lapland longspurs arrive in Montana?
The Lapland Longspur is a winter visitor in Montana — here is when to expect it, when it leaves, and how to be ready.
Lapland Longspur timing in Montana
- Arrives
- Around September
- Leaves
- By April
- Status here
- Winter visitor
- Present roughly
- September–April
In Montana, lapland longspurs are a cold-season bird, arriving around September and heading back north to breed by April.
These windows are set by latitude: Montana sits in the middle part of this species' range, so timing here tracks the continental average closely. In any given year, weather can move the first arrivals by a week or two either way.
Month by month in this state
Highlighted months are when lapland longspurs are expected in Montana. The edges of the window are the interesting weeks — first arrivals and last departures vary most from year to year.
Getting ready before they arrive
The week before September is the time to act. Have feeders cleaned, filled and out by early September — the first lapland longspurs into Montana are scouting for reliable food, and a station that's ready early gets added to their route.
Through the winter, consistent food matters more than variety — birds map dependable stations into their daily routes and rely on them hardest during cold snaps.
What lapland longspurs eat while they're here
- Waste grain and weed seeds
Winters in enormous flocks on bare plains and stubble; often mixes with Snow Buntings and Horned Larks.
Full Lapland Longspur diet guide → · Best feeder for lapland longspurs →
Native plants that hold lapland longspurs in Montana
Food keeps a migrant for a day; habitat keeps it for the season. These Montana-native plants are known to attract lapland longspurs:
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows.
Annual native sunflower — the original feeder seed.
Native bunchgrass; winter seed and ground cover for sparrows and juncos.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
Nectar-rich in summer, seed for finches in fall.
Late-season bloom supports insects; seed for sparrows.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked
When do lapland longspurs arrive in Montana?
lapland longspurs typically arrive in Montana around September. Timing can shift a week or two with the weather in any given year.
When do lapland longspurs leave Montana?
Most lapland longspurs have left Montana by April. They spend the breeding season farther north and return in the fall.
Do lapland longspurs stay in Montana all year?
No — in Montana the Lapland Longspur is a winter visitor, present roughly September–April. Outside that window it is rarely seen in the state.
What should I put out before lapland longspurs arrive in Montana?
Have feeders up and clean by early September — first arrivals scout reliable food sources. Good offerings for this species: flies, beetles and spiders on the tundra.
Sources
- Lapland Longspur — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Lapland Longspur life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Lapland Longspur — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Montana
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.