The horned lark, known by the scientific name Eremophila alpestris, is a small songbird found across much of North America. It gets its name from the black feathers that stick up on the top of its head, making it look like it has little horns. The horned lark is known for its beautiful song and ability to thrive in open habitats.
What does the horned lark look like?
The horned lark is a slender, medium-sized songbird, measuring 15–18 cm (6–7 in) in length with a wingspan of 27–32 cm (10–13 in). It has pale brown upperparts and white underparts. Its most distinctive feature is the black feathers on the top of its head that stand up like little horns or ears. These black feathers can be raised and lowered. The horned lark has a yellow face and breast, with a black bib under its chin. It has a thin, pointed bill and a short tail. The female horned lark is paler overall than the male, with less yellow on the face and breast. Juveniles resemble females but are more streaked on the breast.
In flight, the horned lark displays pointed wings and a short tail with white outer tail feathers. The wings are mostly dark but have pale brown edges. The underwings are pale. Its flight is bouncy due to quick, shallow wing beats.
Where is the horned lark found?
The horned lark has an extremely large range and is found across most of North America. Its breeding habitat spans Alaska and Canada down throughout the continental United States, Mexico, and into parts of Central America. It is found across many diverse habitats from coastal regions to high mountain tundra.
Some key areas where it can be found include:
- Prairies
- Grasslands
- Agricultural fields
- Alpine tundra
- Barren deserts
- Coastal regions
- Airports
The horned lark migrates south in winter to avoid harsh northern conditions. Southern populations may remain resident year-round. During migration and winter, it can be found in a broader range of open habitats across the southern United States, Mexico, and parts of Central America.
What habitats does the horned lark live in?
The horned lark occupies a variety of open country habitats at elevations ranging from sea level to over 4,500 meters (14,800 ft). It favors flat, bare areas with very short vegetation and sparsely scattered shrubs or trees.
Typical habitats include:
- Prairies
- Grasslands
- Pastures
- Agricultural fields
- Deserts
- Alpine tundra
- Dunes and beaches
- Airfields
It avoids densely forested areas but may occur in open woodlands. It is well adapted to treeless habitats and ground nesting. The availability of bare ground, very short grasses, and low, sparse vegetation for nesting and foraging are key habitat requirements.
What does the horned lark eat?
The horned lark is primarily a ground foraging bird that eats seeds and insects. Its diet consists mainly of:
- Seeds – of grasses, grains, weeds
- Insects – beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, ants, flies
- Spiders
- Snails
It locates food while walking along the ground, scanning the area and sometimes probing with its bill. It will also pick food items directly off vegetation. Grasshoppers and other larger insects are sometimes caught during short flights from the ground. It does not scratch at the ground looking for food.
During winter, seeds become the primary part of its diet. It prefers native grass and weed seeds. Waste grains in agricultural areas provide an important winter food source.
What is interesting about the horned lark’s song?
The horned lark has a beautiful, melodious song that is often delivered in flight. The male sings while high in the air over its breeding territory. Some key facts about the horned lark’s song include:
- Its flight song is a high-pitched, tinkling series of notes described as eerily ethereal.
- Each song lasts about 3-5 seconds, with a quality that echoes across open habitats.
- It gives a long, sustained note followed by a series of trills and warbles.
- The song varies geographically with dialects across different regions.
- Males sing repeatedly from high perches or in flight to defend territories and attract females.
The horned lark’s song is very high-pitched compared to many birds. Even experienced birders sometimes struggle to locate the singer. It uses this specialized song to communicate across wide-open spaces in its prairie and tundra habitats.
When does the horned lark breed?
The horned lark breeds between March and July across most of its range. Nesting typically coincides with spring in the given region.
Some key facts about the horned lark’s breeding season:
- Nesting starts earlier in southern areas.
- Northern populations breed later following spring thaw.
- At high elevations breeding may occur from June to August.
- It often raises 2-3 broods per year.
- Nesting lasts 30-40 days from egg laying to fledging of young.
- Male establishes a breeding territory and defends it through song.
The horned lark exhibits strong breeding site fidelity. Pairs often return to the same nesting area year after year. The female builds the nest on the ground in short vegetation, weaving together grasses, stems, and leaves.
How many eggs does the female horned lark lay?
The typical clutch size for the horned lark is 3-5 eggs. The eggs are oval shaped with a smooth, slightly glossy surface. They are pale bluish or greenish white, with dark speckles, blotches, and scrawls.
Some key facts about horned lark eggs and nesting:
- The female lays one egg per day.
- Incubation lasts 10-14 days.
- Only the female incubates the eggs.
- Both parents feed the young after hatching.
- Young fledge from the nest at 9-12 days old.
- They may raise 2-3 broods per breeding season.
Nesting success is relatively low, as ground nests are vulnerable to predators and agricultural operations. But horned larks persist through high annual reproductive rates. The female builds a new nest and lays another clutch if the first nest fails.
What are the migration patterns of the horned lark?
The horned lark undergoes regular seasonal movements and migrations. Migrations are generally southward in fall and northward in spring, but exact patterns vary across subspecies and populations.
Some key aspects of the horned lark’s migration include:
- Northern populations are strongly migratory, moving south in winter.
- Some southern groups are resident year-round.
- Migrates by day in small flocks.
- Winters across the southern U.S., Mexico, Caribbean, and Central America.
- Spring migration occurs February to May.
- Fall migration occurs September to December.
- Juveniles apparently learn migration routes from adults.
Migration allows larks to move away from areas with severe winter weather and seek out appropriate habitats. Migrants further north spend winters in open farmlands, grasslands, deserts, and coastal areas further south.
What conservation issues does the horned lark face?
The horned lark remains a widespread and common species with a large, healthy overall population. However, it faces some conservation threats in parts of its range.
Potential issues and threats include:
- Habitat loss of native prairies and grasslands
- Intensive agricultural practices
- Decline of pasturelands
- Increased reforestation in parts of its range
- Climate change effects on tundra habitats
- Pesticides reducing insect prey base
Protection and proper management of remaining grasslands and prairies provides vital habitat for horned larks. Agricultural best practices, including limits on mowing during nesting season, can also benefit the species. Public education helps raise awareness of grassland conservation and this unique songbird’s role across North America’s open spaces.
Conclusion
The horned lark is a beloved songbird of prairies, grasslands, and tundra across North America. It gets its name from the distinctive black feathers on its head that resemble horns. A high-flying songster, its melodious flight songs ring out over fields and plains during the breeding season. Horned larks forage on the ground for seeds and insects, nest on the ground, and undertake migratory journeys between northern breeding areas and southern wintering grounds. This species faces some conservation threats from habitat loss and climate change, but remains widespread and adaptable. The sight and sound of horned larks will hopefully continue to be a symbol of the continent’s open spaces for generations to come.