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Lark Bunting

Calamospiza melanocorysOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Sparrows (Emberizidae)

Lark Bunting Breeding Male Portrait
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General

Lark Bunting: Large sparrow, nearly black with large white wing patches, short, white-edged tail, and heavy, blue-gray bill. Winter male has streaked gray-brown upperparts, brown-streaked white underparts, buff-brown wash on flanks, black throat, white wing patches, and white-edged tail. Female and juvenile are duller and lack black throats.

Range and Habitat

Lark Bunting: Breeds on prairies of south-central Canada and central U.S. Spends winters in the southwest and Mexico. Found in shortgrass prairies, sagebrush flats, and open areas in the southeastern lowlands.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"hoo-ee"

Interesting Facts

 The male Lark Bunting is the only sparrow that completely changes plumage from distinctive breeding colors to plain winter ones.

 It is the state bird of Colorado.

 A group of buntings are collectively known as a "decoration", "mural", and "sacrifice" of buntings.



Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Lark Bunting
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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.
Family Buntings, Finches, Sparrows (Emberizidae)_blue
Species Calamospiza melanocorys
Length7 Inches
Wingspan11 Inches

Lark Bunting

Lark Bunting: Large sparrow, nearly black with large white wing patches, short, white-edged tail, and heavy, blue-gray bill. Forages in groung, low vegetation. Strong flight, alternates shallow wing beats with brief periods of wings pulled to sides. It is the state bird of Colorado.

● Song: "hoo-ee"

● Foraging & Feeding: Lark Bunting: Feeds on insects, including grasshoppers, beetles, and ants, seeds, and waste grain. Walks or hops along the ground when foraging, often in flocks.

● Breeding & nesting: Lark Bunting: Three to seven pale blue or green eggs spotted with red brown are laid in a loose cup nest made of grass, roots, and other plant material, lined with hair and plant down, and built on the ground, usually sheltered by grass or a small bush. Incubation ranges from 11 to 12 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Lark Bunting: Other sparrows lack the white wing patches. Bobolink has a dull white nape, white rump, and white back patches.

Flight Pattern

Alternates several shallow wing beats with wings pulled to sides.
Lark Bunting Breeding Male Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Lark Bunting: Breeds on prairies of south-central Canada and central U.S. Spends winters in the southwest and Mexico. Found in shortgrass prairies, sagebrush flats, and open areas in the southeastern lowlands.
BreedingMonogamous, Loose colonies, Some polygynous
Population
MigrationMigratory
Weight1.1 Ounces