The Horned Lark is a ground-feeding bird found in bare farm fields and short grass across the United States. Males have a yellow-and-black face, a dark breast band, and small head feathers they can raise like horns.
Appearance
Appearance
The back is sandy brown. Males have a black mask and breast band and can raise two small feather tufts; females have a paler face and a brown breast band.
Voice
The song is thin and high-pitched, often delivered over open country.
A nonbreeding Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) lacks the Horned Lark’s solid breast band and has a thicker bill. On male Horned Larks the band is black; on females it is brown.
Why they get mixed up · Both can feed in the same open winter fields.
American Pipits (Anthus rubescens) have streaks across the chest rather than a solid breast band. In flight, their outer tail feathers flash white; a Horned Lark’s look dark.
Where it lives
Typical habitats
Bare fields
Short grasslands
Deserts
Tundra
Range
Horned Larks occur widely across the United States. Northern breeders move south in winter, while some southern populations stay year-round.
Preferred conditions
They favor broad, open ground with little tall vegetation.
Behavior
Diet
They pick seeds and insects from the ground. Nestlings are fed mostly insects.
Activity
They walk or run while feeding on open ground. Males often sing during flight.
Social life
Winter flocks can gather in farm fields and along roadsides.
Life cycle
Nest
The female builds a grass-lined nest in a shallow hollow on bare ground.
Clutch size
2–5 eggs
Incubation
11–12 days
Conservation
IUCN Red List
LCLeast Concern·Low risk of extinction
Status
North American monitoring shows a strong long-term decline.