Field Marks. The horned lark breeds across much of North America from Alaska and Canada south to most of the southern states, except for the Deep South. A brown ground bird, with black sideburns, two small black horns (not always noticeable), and a black breast splotch. The female incubates. However, a recent study found that even abundant bird species, including the Horned Lark, have declined dramatically in the past 50 years. Horned Lark, female. Licensing . Note the head design. They lay 2 to 5 eggs which take 11 to 12 days to hatch. Clutch Size: 2 to 5 eggs, with an average of 4. Walks, does not hop. A male Horned Lark perches on a barbed wire fence showing off the tufts of feathers that this species is named for. Range. Female and immature duller, but with the basic pattern. Author: dfaulder. Horned Larks are not considered to be threatened. Horned Larks are among the earliest nesting songbirds in Tennessee, laying eggs in early to mid-March. Photo Credit: Tom Carroll. It winters in most of the United States, including the southern states. The "horns" of the Horned Lark are little tufts of feathers, visible only at close range. The analyses reveal that the bird is a 46 000-year-old female horned lark. You are free: to share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work; to remix – to adapt the work; Under the following conditions: attribution – You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. Fledging: The male and female tend the young, which leave the nest in 9 to 12 days. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Horned Larks are social birds and are often found in large flocks or in open country where there is bare ground or habitat with short vegetation. Habitat. Horned Lark - female Eremophila alpestris Still pulling from the archives... one of these days, I'll have a decent weekend day to go out and shoot something new. Overhead, pale with a black tail; folds wings after each beat. They usually raise two broods during the breeding season. Male and female horned larks look alike, but the female is a little duller in color. The horned lark is also found in Asia and northern Europe. "Not only can we identify the bird as a horned lark. Horned Larks are very early breeders, they have been found to nest in February in their northern range. Incubation: The female incubates the eggs for 11 days.