How to attract lapland longspurs to your yard
Lapland Longspurs respond to four things: the right food, the right plants, water and safe nesting cover. Here is what each means for this particular bird, drawn from its range across 32 states and provinces.
First: is it in your area, and when?
You can only attract a bird that passes through or lives near you, so start with timing. It arrives only to breed in 4, such as Alaska, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon, so set up before spring arrival. It is a winter visitor in 28, including Alberta, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana and 22 more, where feeders and winter fruit matter most.
Plant what lapland longspurs use
These native plants are tied to the Lapland Longspur in our regional plant lists (Audubon Native Plants and state sources). The count shows how many states or provinces list the plant for this bird — higher means it works across more of the range. Pick the ones native where you live.
| Plant | Type | States | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium | Perennial | 28 | Native bunchgrass; winter seed and ground cover for sparrows and juncos. |
| Wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa | Perennial | 28 | Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches. |
| Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta | Perennial | 27 | Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows. |
| Tall goldenrod Solidago altissima | Perennial | 27 | Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter. |
| Common sunflower Helianthus annuus | Perennial | 26 | Annual native sunflower — the original feeder seed. |
| New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae | Perennial | 19 | Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows. |
| Paper birch Betula papyrifera | Tree | 18 | Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter. |
| Purple coneflower Echinacea purpurea | Perennial | 13 | Leave seed heads up through winter for goldfinches. |
| Rocky Mountain bee plant Cleome serrulata | Perennial | 13 | Nectar-rich in summer, seed for finches in fall. |
| Rabbitbrush Ericameria nauseosa | Shrub | 10 | Late-season bloom supports insects; seed for sparrows. |
Your list covers 3 plant layers (perennial, tree, shrub). Layering matters: mixing perennial, tree, shrub gives lapland longspurs food, perches and cover at different heights. Leave seed heads and fruit standing into winter instead of cutting back in fall.
Offer the food it actually eats
Seeds and, in summer, insects on the tundra.
- Warm months
- Flies, beetles and spiders on the tundra
- Cold months
- Waste grain and weed seeds
- At feeders
- Cracked corn, Millet (on bare open ground)
Feeder style matters as much as food: low ground tray under cover is the first choice for this bird. Winters in enormous flocks on bare plains and stubble; often mixes with Snow Buntings and Horned Larks. Feeder guide →
Give it a place to nest
Natural site: Grass cup sunk in tundra moss.
It does not use nest boxes, so the way to host a nest is cover: keep dense native shrubs, vines or trees of the kind listed above, and avoid pruning them during the nesting season.
- Clutch
- 2–7 eggs
- Incubation
- 10–14 days
- Nestling period
- 8–10 days
- Broods per year
- 1 per season
Water, safety and patience
- A shallow bath (1–2 in deep) with a rough bottom, refreshed every 2–3 days; a dripper or heater makes it far more attractive in summer heat and winter freeze.
- Place feeders within 3 ft of windows or more than 30 ft away to cut window strikes, and keep cats indoors.
- Skip pesticides — most backyard birds feed insects to their nestlings, even seed-eaters.
- Give it time. New feeders and plantings can take days to weeks to be found; a summer breeder won't appear until it returns in spring.
Frequently asked
What attracts lapland longspurs to a yard?
Food they actually eat (cracked corn, millet (on bare open ground)), native plants such as Little bluestem, Wild bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, clean water and suitable nesting cover: grass cup sunk in tundra moss.
What plants attract lapland longspurs?
Across the Lapland Longspur's range, the native plants most often tied to it are Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), Tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima), Common sunflower (Helianthus annuus). Choose the ones native to your state.
When should I set up my yard for nesting lapland longspurs?
Nesting starts around July in Alaska and as late as July in Yukon. Have cover, water ready a month before.
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
- 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.