Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Horned Lark
Eremophila alpestris
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) is a member of the Alaudidae family found in Central America & Caribbean, Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Adults weigh 33.3 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Alaudidae Larks
- Genus Eremophila
- Species alpestris
Quick facts
- Weight
- 33.3 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Alaudidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Horned Lark is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Horned Lark is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) is a species of bird in the Alaudidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean, Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA, PAL widespread.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 33.3 g, with a wing length of about 10.8 cm and a tail of around 7.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 35.1 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Horned Lark?
The Horned Lark is a small bird that weighs around 33.3 g.
Where does the Horned Lark live?
The Horned Lark is found across Central America & Caribbean, Europe & Northern Asia and North America with a range covering NA, MA, PAL widespread, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Horned Lark belong to?
The Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) belongs to the Alaudidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Horned Lark eat?
The Horned Lark is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Horned Lark migrate?
The Horned Lark is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Horned Lark endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Horned Lark make?
1 real field recording of the Horned Lark — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Horned Lark's range?
The Horned Lark has a mapped global range of about 35.1 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Alaudidae
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.