Lark Sparrow

LC - Least Concern

N5B - Secure Breeding

SNRB - Unranked Breeding

Special Concern

Lark Sparrow bird is identified by its boldly marked head and face. The cheeks and the sides of the crown are chestnut brown. There is a white stripe in the center of the crown, below the eye, and below the cheek; a black line from the bill, through the eye, to above the cheek; and a black line from the bill to below the cheek. The breast is unmarked except for a large dark spot in the center.

6″ in length

11″ wingspan

A variable, melodious song consisting of clear notes, trills, buzzes, and pauses.

Open areas with brushy edges, especially sandy areas.

Omnivorous. Feeds on grasshoppers, other insects, and seeds in Breeding season, seeds in non-Breeding season.

Rare and local breeder

The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map

New World sparrows were traditionally combined with buntings into the family Emberizidae. Recent phylogenetic analysis (Barker et al. 2013) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis (Klicka et al. 2014) found that the Old World buntings should be separated as a sister to New World sparrows. New World sparrows have been separated into a new family, Passerellidae.