Horned Lark
Eremophila alpestris
The Horned Lark is the only true lark native to North America, and is a common, widespread bird of open grassland country, and live year-round over most of the USA’s lower forty-eight and northern Mexico, but in summer some will migrate north to Alaska and Canada’s Arctic islands. They are equally at home at sea level, to the high mountains (hence the name alpestris, meaning “of the high mountains”) and all elevations in between. Yet despite this versatility, their numbers have declined during the past half-century.
Not just a native to North America, Horned Larks occupy an equally wide range of habitats in Asia and eastern Europe. With such a wide distribution around the globe, it is no surprise there would be substantial variation in this species. In fact, science currently recognises 42 different subspecies of Horned Lark across our planet.
Horned Larks have some interesting breeding and nesting behaviours. When it comes time for courting, the female advertises her readiness for breeding by bowing low to the ground in what looks like taking a dust bath. Interested males will hover in low orbiting flights over her. Later she will spend a few days excavating a depression on the ground as a nesting site, later lining it with grasses, and finally she paves her porch with pebbles and other objects. Science doesn’t understand the reason for the paving.
My meetings with these birds have been in California, Nevada, Idaho and Utah. I’ve only met one juvenile Horned Lark during the first BioBlitz event the San Diego Natural History Museum held in Balboa Park in May 2008.

Horned Lark(Eremophila alpestris) |
Description: Along the road to North Landing at Lake Crowley, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:04:21 17:43 |
Location:
North Landing |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: HornedLark_D728168-Crowley |
© 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Horned Lark(Eremophila alpestris) |
Description: Antelope Island State Park, north of Salt Lake City, Utah. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:11 8:56 |
Location:
Antelope Island |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: D3X1423-HornedLark |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Horned Lark(Eremophila alpestris) |
Description: Female at Robb Field. Ocean Beach, San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:05:04 8:56 |
Location:
Robb Field |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 |
File Name: JCD7723.HornedLark |
© 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Horned Lark(Eremophila alpestris) |
Description: Upper Owens River Valley, Mono County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:03:10 13:52 |
Location:
Benton Crossing |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 |
File Name: jcd3726HornedLark |
© 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Horned Lark(Eremophila alpestris) |
Description: Upper Owens River Valley, Mono County, California 2009-03-10. |
Date Taken: 2009:03:10 13:39 |
Location:
Crowley Lake |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/1500 |
File Name: jcd3683HornedLark |
© 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Horned Lark(Eremophila alpestris) |
Description: Foraging in Poway, California (San Diego County). |
Date Taken: 2009:01:10 9:34 |
Location:
|
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/1250 |
File Name: JCD3598.HornedLark |
© 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Horned Lark(Eremophila alpestris) |
Description: Perched on Sage. Upper Owens River Valley, California. |
Date Taken: 2005:05:18 6:52 |
Location:
Crowley Lake |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/13.0, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD1482HornedLark |
© 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Horned Lark(Eremophila alpestris) |
Description: BioBlitz day in Balboa Park. San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:03 13:27 |
Location:
Balboa Park |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/6.3, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD4984HornedLark.Juvinile |
© 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Horned Lark(Eremophila alpestris) |
Description: Perched on Sage. Upper Owens River Valley, California. |
Date Taken: 2005:05:18 6:51 |
Location:
Crowley Lake |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/13.0, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD1476HornedLark |
© 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Horned Lark(Eremophila alpestris) |
Description: Grasslands of the Snake River Plain hosted Horned Larks while I visited in May. Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area south of Meridian Idaho. |
Date Taken: 2015:06:01 13:36 |
Location:
Birds of Prey NCA |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X6903-HornedLark |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Horned Lark(Eremophila alpestris) |
Description: Grasslands of the Snake River Plain hosted Horned Larks while I visited in May. Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area south of Meridian Idaho. |
Date Taken: 2015:06:01 13:31 |
Location:
Birds of Prey NCA |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/3200 |
File Name: D3X6888-HornedLark |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Horned Lark(Eremophila alpestris) |
Description: Perched on Sage. Upper Owens River Valley, California. |
Date Taken: 2005:05:18 7:05 |
Location:
Benton Crossing |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/10.0, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD1487HornedLark |
© 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Horned Lark(Eremophila alpestris) |
Description: This male Horned Lark joined me for a refreshing drink during my brief stay at a windmill driven pump along a stretch of "The Loneliest Road" (Hwy-50) in Nevada. |
Date Taken: 2020:10:24 9:07 |
Location:
Middlegate |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: HornedLark_D5X7120-WestGateTank |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Horned Lark(Eremophila alpestris) |
Description: This male Horned Lark joined me for a refreshing drink during my brief stay at a windmill driven pump along a stretch of "The Loneliest Road" (Hwy-50) in Nevada. |
Date Taken: 2020:10:24 9:05 |
Location:
Middlegate |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: HornedLark_D5X7103-WestGateTank |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Horned Lark(Eremophila alpestris) |
Description: This male Horned Lark joined me for a refreshing drink during my brief stay at a windmill driven pump along a stretch of "The Loneliest Road" (Hwy-50) in Nevada. |
Date Taken: 2020:10:24 9:05 |
Location:
Middlegate |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: HornedLark_D5X7095-WestGateTank |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |

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