Birdsong field guide
Horned Lark
Eremophila alpestris
The Horned Lark is a distinctive ground-dwelling songbird known for its striking yellow and black facial mask and unique feather 'horns'. It remains the only true lark species native to North America.
What it sounds like
A high-pitched, thin 'tseee' or 'titi' followed by a rapid, tinkling, melodic song that sounds like glass shattering.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
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Field notes
- The namesake 'horns' are actually small tufts of black feathers that the male can raise or lower during courtship and territorial displays.
- It is the only member of the Alaudidae family native to the Western Hemisphere.
- They are strictly ground-nesters, often building their nests in small depressions lined with pebbles and 'pavings' of flat stones or dry mud.
- Males perform high-altitude aerial displays, singing while circling hundreds of feet above their territory before folding their wings and diving.
- Ornithologists recognize over 40 distinct subspecies globally, with plumage color often evolving to match the local soil for better camouflage.
Habitat
Open landscapes with very short vegetation or bare ground, such as prairies, alpine tundra, desert flats, and agricultural fields.
Range
Widespread across North America, Europe, Asia, and high-altitude regions of North Africa and South America.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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