Lark Bunting

Calamospiza melanocorys

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

18 cm (7") Common. Central North America from Southern Canada to northern Texas. Prairies, sagebrush. State bird for Colorado.

Gregarious, often seen in sparrow flocks in migration and winter. A stocky bird with a short tail.

Male: all black except for a large white wing patch and some white in the tail. Similar male Bobolink has white on the upper body and not the wings.

Female, Immature and Winter Male: sparrow-like. Resembles female House Finch. Streaked grayish-brown upperparts. Light or buffy below with brown streaks. Winter Male retains black chin and throat area.

Song: varied whistles and trills; distinctive soft "hoo-ee" call.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

4 photos

Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester, MA - October 2011

Credit: nebirdsplus

Male, non-breeding plumage. Near Milnesand, NM - April 12, 2008.

Credit: J. N. Stuart

Pancho Villa State Park, Luna Co., New Mexico - March 2010

Credit: Ken Schneider

Rucker Canyon Road. Arizona. USA - January 26, 2010

Credit: flickr quickr

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys), Northwest Great Plains, Montana, USA

Credit: Robert Mutch

Lark Bunting mating call 05-18-2012

Credit: CanonClicker

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 4 rules

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

Lark Bunting (Female, Immature, or Nonbreeding Plumage)

2 rules

Rule 1 16 criteria confidence 6

What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sparrow-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:95-lark-bunting-female-immature-or-winter-plumage-winter:1:1 Source: 95 Lark Bunting (Female, Immature or Winter Plumage) Winter), row 1

Rule 2 16 criteria confidence 1

What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sparrow-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States

result:95-lark-bunting-female-immature-or-winter-plumage-winter:2:1 Source: 95 Lark Bunting (Female, Immature or Winter Plumage) Winter), row 2

Lark Bunting (Male)

2 rules

Rule 1 18 criteria confidence 6

What colour were the WING STRIPES or PATCHES ?: White or pale gray stripes or patches · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour were the WINGS ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · 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 ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sparrow-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:194-lark-bunting-male:1:1 Source: 194 Lark Bunting (Male), row 1

Rule 2 18 criteria confidence 1

What colour were the WING STRIPES or PATCHES ?: White or pale gray stripes or patches · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour were the WINGS ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · 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 ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sparrow-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States

result:194-lark-bunting-male:2:1 Source: 194 Lark Bunting (Male), row 2