Horned Lark

Overview

The horned lark or shore lark (Eremophila alpestris) is a species of lark found across the northern hemisphere. It is known as the 'horned lark' in North America due to distinctive feathers on the heads of males in summer, and as the 'shore lark' in Europe because it frequents shorelines in winter. Currently assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, populations in North America are nonetheless declining.

Identification

• Mainly brown-grey above and pale below, with a striking black and yellow face pattern.
• Summer males possess two tufts of black feathers on the head, referred to as 'horns'.
• The tail is mostly black except for the central feathers, creating a strong contrast against the paler body, especially in flight.
• Song consists of a few chips followed by a warbling, ascending trill, given in flight; other vocalisations are high-pitched, lisping or tinkling.

Habitat

A bird of open ground, it breeds above the tree line in mountains and the far north in Eurasia, but is mainly found on seashore flats in most of Europe during winter. In North America, it inhabits farmland, prairies, deserts, golf courses, and airports. It breeds from the high Arctic south to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, across northern Europe and Asia, and in the mountains of southeast Europe, with an isolated population on a plateau in Colombia.

Did you know?

In 2020, a well-preserved, complete frozen carcass of a female horned lark was discovered in Siberian permafrost, dating back approximately 44,000 to 49,000 years. This fossil represented a transitional species between two subspecies, specifically E. a. flava and E. a. brandti.