Yes, larks do eat insects. Larks are small passerine birds that are part of the Alaudidae family. They are known for their melodious songs and for their habit of soaring high in the sky while singing. Larks mostly feed on seeds and plants, but they will also eat insects, especially when feeding their young.
What do larks eat?
The diet of larks varies somewhat depending on the species, but in general larks are omnivorous birds that feed primarily on seeds and plants. Their diet typically consists of:
- Seeds – Grass seeds, weed seeds, grain seeds
- Grains – Wheat, oats, barley
- Green vegetation – Leaves, buds, shoots
- Berries
- Fruit
- Insects – Crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, ants, flies
Seeds make up the bulk of a lark’s diet. They use their conical bill to crack open and hull seeds. They also forage among fields and grasslands for various plant materials, berries, and fruits to eat. While larks are primarily seed and plant eaters, they do supplement their diet with protein-rich insects, especially during breeding season when they are feeding their young.
Do larks eat insects?
Yes, larks regularly eat insects to supplement their herbivorous diet. Although seeds and plants make up the majority of their food intake, larks frequently feed on insects for extra nutrition. Some of the insects that larks are known to eat include:
- Crickets
- Grasshoppers
- Caterpillars
- Beetles
- Ants
- Flies
- Spiders
- Worms
- Aphids
- Moths
Larks will opportunistically eat any small insects they can capture. They hunt for insects while walking along the ground or dig through soil and grass for grubs and larvae. Parents also feed collected insects to their chicks to provide ample protein for growth and development.
Why do larks eat insects?
There are a few key reasons why larks supplement their primary diet with insects:
- Insects provide additional protein. Insects are a rich source of protein to complement the carbohydrates from seeds.
- For feeding nestlings. Parent larks hunt for protein-packed insects to feed their chicks.
- For calcium. Insects provide calcium for bone growth and eggshell development.
- For overall nutrition. The vitamins and minerals in insects help round out the diet.
- When seeds are scarce. Larks eat more insects when preferred seed food is limited.
The extra nutrition gained from eating insects aids in the growth of chicks and provides essential nutrients when seed sources are low. So while larks are technically herbivores, they do opportunistically eat insects to supplement their diet.
What species of larks eat insects?
Most species of larks will include some insects in their diet, though some more than others. Here are a few well-studied species of larks that are known to frequently consume insects:
- Eurasian Skylark – Eats aphids, moths, beetles, ants
- Horned Lark – Eats grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, caterpillars
- Eastern Meadowlark – Eats grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, ants
- Woodlark – Eats beetles, caterpillars, flies, aphids, worms
- Crested Lark – Eats locusts, crickets, beetles, grasshoppers
These larks and most other species supplement their diet with whatever insects are abundant and available in their habitat depending on the season.
When do larks eat the most insects?
Larks eat the most insects during the breeding season when they are feeding nestlings. The diet of young chicks is composed almost entirely of insects because they provide ample protein and nutrients required for growth and development.
Studies have found the proportion of insects in the lark diet increases substantially while breeding. One analysis of Eurasian skylark nutrition found that insects comprised 40-50% of the food brought to nestlings, though were only about 5% of adult diet. Some specific examples:
- Horned lark parents fed nestlings a diet of over 90% insects.
- The diet of woodlark chicks was found to be over 70% insects.
- Eastern meadowlark nestlings were fed predominantly grasshoppers and other insects.
Larks also opportunistically eat more insects during seasons when seeds and vegetation are scarce. But the peak insect consumption is focused on breeding season when nutritious insects are crucial for rapidly growing chicks.
How do larks hunt and eat insects?
Larks employ a few different techniques to capture insect prey:
- Foraging on ground – Walking along the ground while darting after insects and probing soil.
- Gleaning vegetation – Picking insects off of leaves, stems, branches.
- Aerial hunting – Catching insects while flying.
- Digging – Using their bills to dig into the ground to uncover larvae and burrowing insects.
When feeding nestlings, parent larks hunt for insects by sweeping through vegetation or patrolling the ground. Larks use their conical bills like forceps to catch and grasp wriggling insects. Small insects are swallowed whole while larger prey may be beaten against a perch to disable and soften it before consuming.
Conclusion
While larks are primarily seed-eating birds, they do regularly supplement their diet with protein-rich insects, especially when feeding hungry nestlings. Most species of larks are opportunistic insectivores that will eat any small insects they can capture during the breeding season. Eating insects provides nesting larks with additional nutrition and is an important part of their parental care. So when you hear melodious lark song, remember that at some point those seed-munching songbirds turn into determined insect hunters.
