facts about the lark bunting
By zteve t evans
The Lark bunting (Calamospiza Melanocorys) is one of the most abundant of the passerine species found on the prairies of North America. With a population estimated at 27,000,000 it is one of the most numerous.
Description
Lark buntings are similar to sparrows but have beaks similar to finches. The males look very striking at breeding time being black with bright white patches on their wings and a white tip to the tail.
In summer they can be located throughout the prairies of Midwest USA. They migrate for the winter to south west areas of the USA and parts of Mexico.
The female has a light greyish brown back and wings with white patches. Her breast and under parts are grey with light brown streaks.
The male will lose its black and white plumage in the winter and will look similar to the female but with its throat will be darker with brighter streaks.
Range
The Lark bunting has abundant numbers across the prairies of North America from Southern parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan, in Canada south to western parts of Texas.
Migration
Lark buntings migrate for the winter flying south from the northern prairies in large flocks. They head for winter grounds in Texas, southern parts of New Mexico and Arizona and northern and central parts of Mexico, also dispersing in smaller numbers broadly to California, eastern parts of Texas and southern parts of the Great Plains.
Habitat
These birds are adaptable and often take to expansive tracts of grassland, broken up with shrubs and bushes and patches of bare ground for breeding. They are also found on sage prairies, hayfields, and fallow fields. In winter they can be found in farmland, desert scrublands and dry grasslands of the southwest states.
Lark buntings are similar to sparrows but have beaks similar to finches. The males look very striking at breeding time being black with bright white patches on their wings and a white tip to the tail.
In summer they can be located throughout the prairies of Midwest USA. They migrate for the winter to south west areas of the USA and parts of Mexico.
The female has a light greyish brown back and wings with white patches. Her breast and under parts are grey with light brown streaks.
The male will lose its black and white plumage in the winter and will look similar to the female but with its throat will be darker with brighter streaks.
Range
The Lark bunting has abundant numbers across the prairies of North America from Southern parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan, in Canada south to western parts of Texas.
Migration
Lark buntings migrate for the winter flying south from the northern prairies in large flocks. They head for winter grounds in Texas, southern parts of New Mexico and Arizona and northern and central parts of Mexico, also dispersing in smaller numbers broadly to California, eastern parts of Texas and southern parts of the Great Plains.
Habitat
These birds are adaptable and often take to expansive tracts of grassland, broken up with shrubs and bushes and patches of bare ground for breeding. They are also found on sage prairies, hayfields, and fallow fields. In winter they can be found in farmland, desert scrublands and dry grasslands of the southwest states.
Diet
When breeding much of its diet comes from grasshoppers which they also feed to their young. They also eat other insects such as weevils, beetles and ants, and they also like grains and seeds which they depend more on in winter.
Breeding
Breeding takes place after migration in April and the first weeks of May. Males attract females with song and flight displays. Although the males have territories they do not defend them as vigorously as other birds and often territories overlap with that of other males.
Mostly the breeding pairs are monogamous though the male will occasionally have a second mate. The nest is built in a small hollow directly on the ground and lined with grass in which the female lays 3-6 eggs that are light-blue or blue-green in colour.
Both parents closely protect the nest from excesses of temperature and from the Cowbird which will lay its own egg in the nest for the parents to rear. The female starts incubating after the second egg is laid taking about 12 days to hatch the chicks.
Males and females look after the chicks which grow rapidly in readiness to leave the nest. After 7-10 days they leave the nest and hide nearby using vegetation as cover while their parents continue to feed them until they are mature enough to be independent.
Despite their abundance it is thought their numbers have declined due to loss of habitat from human encroachment. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature classifies them as a Least Concern species on the Red List.
© 23/10/2009 zteve t evans
When breeding much of its diet comes from grasshoppers which they also feed to their young. They also eat other insects such as weevils, beetles and ants, and they also like grains and seeds which they depend more on in winter.
Breeding
Breeding takes place after migration in April and the first weeks of May. Males attract females with song and flight displays. Although the males have territories they do not defend them as vigorously as other birds and often territories overlap with that of other males.
Mostly the breeding pairs are monogamous though the male will occasionally have a second mate. The nest is built in a small hollow directly on the ground and lined with grass in which the female lays 3-6 eggs that are light-blue or blue-green in colour.
Both parents closely protect the nest from excesses of temperature and from the Cowbird which will lay its own egg in the nest for the parents to rear. The female starts incubating after the second egg is laid taking about 12 days to hatch the chicks.
Males and females look after the chicks which grow rapidly in readiness to leave the nest. After 7-10 days they leave the nest and hide nearby using vegetation as cover while their parents continue to feed them until they are mature enough to be independent.
Despite their abundance it is thought their numbers have declined due to loss of habitat from human encroachment. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature classifies them as a Least Concern species on the Red List.
© 23/10/2009 zteve t evans
References and Attributions
Copyright October 23, 2009 zteve t evans
Copyright October 23, 2009 zteve t evans
- File:IMG 7043 lark bunting.jpg From Wikimedia Commons - Lark Bunting, Calamospiza melanocorys - Author: Ryan Douglas - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported licence
- File:NRCSCO01060 - Colorado (1507)(NRCS Photo Gallery).tif From Wikimedia Commons - Photo by Gary Kramer, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.- Public Domain
- Lark bunting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- State Bird of Colorado - Lark Bunting
- Lark Bunting | National Audubon Society Birds