Spot Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)

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Horned Larks are small, long-bodied songbirds that usually adopt a horizontal posture. They have short, thin bills, short necks, and rounded heads—the shape sometimes broken by two small “horns” of feathers sticking up toward the back of the head. Male Horned Larks are sandy to rusty brown above, with a black chest band, a curving black mask, and head stripes that extend to the back of the head. The face and throat are either yellow or white and the underparts are white. Females have similar head and breast patterns but are less crisply defined. Diet and behavioral habits: These birds are year-round residents south of Morley Field and at the Florida landfill. The barer the ground, the more Horned Larks like it. Horned Larks are social birds, sometimes found in huge flocks outside the breeding season. They creep along bare ground searching for food, including small seeds from a great variety of grasses, weeds, and some berries, as well as, insects, especially in summer Nesting habits: The Horned Lark nest is built in early winter on open ground, often next to grass clump, or other object. The nest (built by female) is slight depression in ground, lined with grass, weeds, rootlets, with inner lining of fine grass or plant down. One side of nest often has flat "doorstep" of pebbles.

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