Waterloo County, Ontario CA - March 3, 2013
Credit: Rick Bond

North American field guide

Horned Lark

Eremophila alpestris

Also known as:Shore Lark

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Identification

Field notes

18-20 cm (7-8") Common throughout North America in open country; barren fields, plains, golf courses, roadsides, airports, lakeshores.

This thin-billed brown ground bird has a distinctive black and yellow (or white) head pattern. Black forehead extends back to form horns which are not always visible. Broad black line below eye. Black bib.

In flight; note white underwings and white edges of dark tail.

Song: tinkling on ground and in flight.

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Videos

1 video

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

Loading the rebuilt map…

Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Approximate reconstruction of a historical map. Source date unknown.

Geography: Natural Earth
Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 1 rule

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Horned Lark

1 rule
Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 5
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?
No · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?
Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
Uniform color · Dark band or bands running across the breast or neck · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?
Light area between the bill and the eye · Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Crest of feathers on top of the head · Ear "tufts" or horns · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Sparrow-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
What type of environment was the bird seen in?
Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Freshwater shoreline · Flat saltwater shore; beach · Only or mostly in flight over land