The Smith’s Longspur has a relatively small global population (75,000) and is not well monitored in Canada. The species' breeding areas are remote, and are not covered by the Breeding Bird Survey. Although the entire wintering range in the central United States is within the survey area for the Christmas Bird Count (CBC), most birds winter on private lands within a limited range, so numbers reported are very low. North American CBC results suggest that the continental population has increased since the early 1970s. However, along with the lack of data, difficulties with identification and an improvement in birders’ ability to distinguish this species from other wintering longspurs over time decrease the reliability of this trend estimate. Data are considered to be insufficient to determine population trends and therefore the population status of the Smith's Longspur in Canada; a population goal has not yet been set.
Additional information on: Christmas Bird Count (CBC)
