The longspurs are a small family of seedeaters that breed on arctic tundra and North American prairies. Formerly classified together with Old World buntings (Emberizidae) and New World Sparrows (Arremonidae), which they resemble, longspurs have been reclassified as a separate family based on genetic analyses of relatedness.

Two species are abundant, widespread, circumpolar arctic breeders that winter in temperate latitudes of Eurasia and North America.  Of these, the Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) is especially widespread and abundant, the most numerous arctic-breeding passerine.  Two more species are rare-to-uncommon, localized breeders of the North American arctic.  The remaining two species breed on short-grass prairies, and are uncommon due mainly to loss of habitat.