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Prairie Horned Lark
Adult male--Forehead and line over eye whitish; crown black with tufts on either side; from the eye to the bill, and sides of throat, black; throat white or very pale yellow; back salmon brown; lower parts white or whitish; breast has a crescent-shaped black patch.
Adult female--Differing but little from the male, the markings being less defined. Length--7.25.
Breeding Range--Upper Mississippi Valley, to eastern New York and western Massachusetts.
The nest, which is placed on the ground in a slight depression, is made of "dry grasses and corn leaves, lined with a few feathers and horse hairs." 3 to 4 eggs are laid. They are very pale bluish green, or pale olive thickly and evenly speckled with light brownish and lilac. Size--.84 x .62. See Fig. 10, Plate B.
This bird so nearly resembles the horned lark that it may easily be confused with it, unless both kinds be at hand for comparison. Its smaller size and lighter colour should serve to distinguish it, and if found nesting, the fact that it breeds within the United States, whilst the horned lark seeks the more northern parts of North America and Europe. Formerly it was not known to breed in the more eastern States, being an inhabitant of the prairies, but since conditions have changed with the advent of civilisation and large tracts of country have been cleared, it has become fairly common in parts of its eastern range.
Two or three broods are reared during the season, the first nest being built as early as the end of March (in Iowa), and the third as late as the beginning of August. The first nest is said to be elaborately made, while the second and third are put together in a slovenly manner. This may be attributed to the fact that during the earlier part of the season the weather is likely to be bad for ground nests, owing to the frequent rains, thus necessitating the building of a stronger nest than would be required during the finer weather of June and July.
The nests may usually be found in dry fields of either grass or corn.