This out-of-place longspur was at 9000 feet in South Park, at Eleven-Mile Reservoir State Park in Park County, about 50 miles west of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The key field mark supporting the identification of McCown's Longspur is the pattern of extensive white in the tail, with thick black terminal band in the outer rectrices.

I believe the presence of cold gray without extensive obvious black tips to the breast and belly feathers indicates a Hatch-Year male in its first basic plumage.

The expected longspur species in South Park during late fall would be Lapland Longspur, which shows flank and breast streaking, and stronger contrast in the head and wing markings.