Scientific Name: Eremophila alpestris
Family: Larks (Alaudidae)
The Horned Lark is a small, ground-dwelling songbird named after the tiny feather tufts that resemble horns on its head. It has sandy-brown upperparts, pale underparts, and distinctive black markings across its face and chest.
Horned Larks live in open landscapes across much of North America. They prefer short grass, bare agricultural fields, prairies, and other places with little vegetation. Unlike many songbirds, they spend most of their time walking or running on the ground rather than perching in trees.
These birds are often difficult to spot because their brown plumage blends into the soil. However, their unusual facial markings and high-pitched songs make them easier to recognize once you know what to look for.
On this page:
- Identification
- Vocalizations
- Food
- Nesting and Eggs
- Current Situation
- Facts
- Similar Species
- Frequently Asked Questions
Identification
The Horned Lark is a small, slender songbird measuring approximately 6.3–7.9 inches long. It weighs around 1–1.7 ounces and has a wingspan of 11.8–13.4 inches.
It has a relatively long body, short neck, rounded head, and thin, straight bill. Its posture is usually horizontal when walking across open ground.
Adult males have sandy-brown to reddish-brown upperparts and pale underparts. Their most distinctive features are a black mask across the eyes, a black patch on the chest, and a yellow or white face and throat.
Two small tufts of black feathers extend from the sides of the crown. These are the horns that give the species its name. They can be raised or lowered and are not always visible.
Females look similar but have much less distinctive markings. Their faces are generally paler, their black facial patches are less noticeable, and their breasts have softer brown markings rather than the bold black band seen on males.
Young Horned Larks are duller brown, with pale-edged feathers and a less distinct breast band. They lack the strong facial markings of adult males.
Plumage varies across the species’ extensive range. Some populations have bright yellow faces and throats, while others have mostly white or pale-colored faces. Birds in western coastal areas often have more reddish-brown upperparts.
Horned Larks have dark tails with noticeable white outer feathers, which can be seen when they fly.
Vocalizations
Horned Larks have high-pitched, delicate songs consisting of short, tinkling notes. Their songs are often difficult to hear from a distance because of their relatively quiet volume.
Males frequently sing while flying above their breeding territories. They rise high into the air, sometimes reaching several hundred feet, and sing as they hover and circle before descending.
Their calls are generally short and high-pitched. They give soft, one- or two-note chirps, particularly when communicating with other birds or moving around in flocks.
During winter, Horned Larks often make soft contact calls while feeding in groups.
Food
Horned Larks primarily eat seeds and insects. Their diet changes throughout the year depending on food availability and breeding activity.
Seeds from grasses and weeds make up much of their diet, particularly during fall and winter. They also eat waste grain left behind in agricultural fields.
During spring and summer, insects become an important food source. They eat grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, spiders, and other small invertebrates.
Horned Larks usually find food by walking or running across the ground. They pick up seeds and insects from the soil and occasionally take seeds directly from plants.
During the breeding season, adults feed their young mostly insects. This provides the protein needed for rapid growth.
They sometimes forage in large flocks during winter, occasionally joining other open-country birds such as Lapland Longspurs and Snow Buntings.
Nesting and Eggs
Horned Larks are ground-nesting birds. They usually begin breeding early in spring, sometimes while temperatures are still quite cold.
The female chooses the nest site, typically in a bare or sparsely vegetated area. She may use a natural depression in the ground or dig a shallow cavity herself.
The nest is usually placed beside a small clump of grass, a stone, or another object that provides some protection. It is made from grasses, roots, and other plant materials and lined with finer vegetation, feathers, fur, and down.
One unusual feature of Horned Lark nests is the small arrangement of pebbles and other materials that females sometimes place beside the entrance. These are known as nest pavings and may help conceal the soil removed during nest excavation.
Females typically lay 2–5 eggs, with three or four being common. The eggs are pale gray to greenish-gray and covered with brown or olive-colored spots.
The female incubates the eggs for approximately 11–12 days. Both parents help feed the chicks, which usually leave the nest after 8–10 days.
Horned Larks can raise one to three broods per year, depending on the location and local conditions.
Because they nest directly on the ground, eggs and young birds are vulnerable to predators such as rodents, weasels, skunks, and other mammals.
Current Situation
The Horned Lark has an extensive distribution across North America, with breeding populations ranging from the Arctic regions of Canada and Alaska south into Mexico.
It occupies a wide variety of open habitats, including prairies, grasslands, deserts, tundra, beaches, dunes, and agricultural fields.
Many populations in the southern parts of the range remain in the same general area throughout the year. Northern populations migrate south during winter, often forming large flocks.
Horned Larks are particularly common in open agricultural landscapes during the colder months. They can be found along roadsides, in harvested fields, and around areas where waste grain is available.
The species is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. However, its population has experienced a significant long-term decline.
According to the North American Breeding Bird Survey, Horned Lark numbers declined by approximately 64% between 1966 and 2019.
Habitat changes, agricultural development, and the loss of suitable open landscapes are among the factors associated with these declines. Despite the decrease, the species remains widespread and relatively common.
Facts
- Only native North American lark: The Horned Lark is the only lark species native to North America.
- Not always horned: The small feather tufts that give the bird its name can be raised or lowered, so they are not always visible.
- A bird of open ground: Horned Larks prefer areas with very short vegetation and often avoid places where grass grows more than a few inches high.
- An impressive flight display: Males climb high into the air while singing before descending toward the ground.
- A wide elevation range: Horned Larks occur from sea level to approximately 13,000 feet in mountainous regions.
- Unusual nest decorations: Females sometimes arrange pebbles, soil clumps, and other materials beside their nests.
- Large winter flocks: Outside the breeding season, Horned Larks can gather in groups numbering hundreds of birds.
Similar Species
Horned Larks are relatively distinctive once their facial markings are visible. However, their small size and brown upperparts can make them difficult to identify when they are feeding on the ground.
Lapland Longspur
Lapland Longspurs are similar in size and frequently occur in the same open habitats as Horned Larks during winter.
Breeding males have a distinctive black face and throat, chestnut-colored nape, and white underparts. Females and nonbreeding birds are much more subdued.
Unlike Horned Larks, Lapland Longspurs have a more heavily streaked appearance and lack the tiny hornlike feather tufts.
Savannah Sparrow
Savannah Sparrows are small, brown songbirds that also inhabit grasslands, agricultural fields, and other open areas.
They have streaked brown upperparts, a short tail, and a distinctive yellow patch above the eye in many individuals.
Horned Larks have a more sandy appearance, a longer body, and distinctive facial markings. They also tend to spend more time on bare ground.
American Pipit
American Pipit
American Pipits are slender, ground-foraging songbirds that often occur in open fields, beaches, and tundra.
They have brownish-gray upperparts, pale underparts, and fine streaking across the breast. Unlike Horned Larks, they lack black facial markings and yellow facial coloration.
American Pipits also have a characteristic habit of bobbing their tails while standing or walking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called a Horned Lark?
The name comes from two small tufts of feathers on the sides of the bird’s crown. These feathers can stick up and resemble tiny horns.
Where do Horned Larks live?
Horned Larks inhabit open landscapes across much of North America. They are found in prairies, grasslands, deserts, tundra, beaches, dunes, and agricultural fields.
What do Horned Larks eat?
They eat seeds and insects. Grass and weed seeds are particularly important during winter, while insects such as grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars become important during the breeding season.
Do Horned Larks migrate?
Some populations migrate while others remain in the same general area throughout the year. Birds breeding in northern Canada and Alaska typically move south during winter.
Where do Horned Larks build their nests?
They build their nests directly on the ground, usually in bare or sparsely vegetated areas. The female creates a shallow depression and lines it with grasses, roots, feathers, and other soft materials.
Are Horned Larks endangered?
No. The Horned Lark is classified as Least Concern globally. However, its North American population has declined considerably