Birds Guide

Lark Bunting Conservation status Least concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia   Phylum: Chordata   Class: Aves   Order: Passeriformes   Family: Emberizidae   Genus: Calamospiza   Species: C. melanocorys
Binomial name
Calamospiza melanocorys Stejneger, 1885

The Lark Bunting, Calamospiza melanocorys, is a medium-sized sparrow. It is the only member of the genus Calamospiza (Bonaparte, 1838).

These birds have a large pale bill and a pale wing patch. Adult males in breeding plumage are black except for their white wing patch. Other birds are more sparrow-like in appearance; they have dark brown upperparts and white underparts, with streaking on the back, breast and flanks. The wings are dark with brown edges.

Their breeding habitat is prairie regions in central Canada and the mid-western United States. The nest is an open cup on the ground in a grassy area.

These birds migrate in flocks to southern Texas and Mexico.

They forage on the ground, mainly eating insects in summer and seeds in winter; they sometimes take short flights in pursuit of insects. Outside of the nesting season, they often feed in flocks.

These birds nest in dispersed colonies. Males fly up over their territory and sing while descending to declare ownership of a nesting territory. The song consists of a mix of whistles and trills. The call is a soft hoo.

This bird's numbers have decreased with the loss of natural prairie habitat.

This is the state bird of Colorado.

References

• BirdLife International (2004). Calamospiza melanocorys. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern