Horned Larks

Eremophila alpestris

Horned Larks are small songbirds that are the only true lark species native to North America.

Males are more brightly colored than females and their “horns” are more prominent.

Fall Male Horned Lark Plus A Bonus Photo

By |2023-10-07T04:35:02-06:00October 6th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Horned Larks, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning, I spent time photographing a male Horned Lark perched on a barbed wire fence in the West Desert, with Stansbury Island in the background.

Male, Female, and Immature Horned Lark Photos

By |2021-04-03T06:06:58-06:00February 5th, 2021|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Horned Larks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

After photographing this male Horned Lark on Antelope Island three days ago I decided to share a photo of him plus female and immature larks in a single post.

46,000 Year Old Horned Lark Found In Siberian Permafrost

By |2022-08-17T04:39:42-06:00December 2nd, 2020|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Horned Larks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

In 2018 fossil hunters in Siberia found a extremely well preserved bird seven meters down a tunnel in permafrost that turned out to be a 46,000 year old Horned Lark.

West Desert Male Horned Lark Singing On A Snow-topped Fence Post

By |2021-04-03T05:25:03-06:00April 5th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Horned Larks, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed this adult male Horned Lark singing on a snow-topped fence post three days ago after a spring snow fell overnight in the West Desert.

Singing Male Horned Lark Close Up On Antelope Island

By |2022-10-02T08:12:22-06:00March 27th, 2019|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Horned Larks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

This singing male Horned Lark was close enough to me that I could take portraits of him while he sang two days ago and I believe the reason he was so close was that his urge to find a mate overcame his natural wariness.

Singing Male Horned Lark And The Great Salt Lake

By |2022-10-02T08:16:20-06:00March 24th, 2019|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Great Salt Lake, Horned Larks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was thrilled to photograph this singing male Horned Lark last week because he was high up on a boulder with the Great Salt Lake below and behind him since I don't have many images of this species with the lake in the background.

Horned Lark With Redstem Filaree – Birds & Wildflowers

By |2023-12-12T09:47:07-07:00April 12th, 2018|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Horned Larks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I had the opportunity to photograph a male Horned Lark on Antelope Island State Park that included Redstem Filaree in the photos and I was delighted, that pop of bright color sure says "spring" to me.

Horned Lark Stretching His Left Wing

By |2021-04-03T05:28:33-06:00April 4th, 2018|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Horned Larks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

I like this photo for the eye contact, the fine details in the plumage of the bird, the stretched wing, light and how his one foot is raised, plus I think Horned Larks are beautiful songbirds.

Male Horned Lark Territorial Behaviors – Tit-for-tat Chases

By |2024-02-23T03:11:53-07:00March 10th, 2017|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Horned Larks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The most interesting activities I saw yesterday were territorial behaviors and chases between two male Horned Larks in an open area of the park.

West Desert Medley of Birds

By |2021-05-31T07:06:09-06:00April 22nd, 2015|Categories: Birds, Cassin's Finches, Chipping Sparrows, Horned Larks, Red-tailed Hawks, Say's Phoebes, Spotted Towhees, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday was a delight in the West Desert because there were plentiful birds to photograph including this male Spotted Towhee singing on its territory.

Lark, Blackbird and and old Coyote

By |2020-04-05T09:01:25-06:00February 11th, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Coyotes, Davis County, Horned Larks, Red-winged Blackbirds, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday the sun was shining on Antelope Island unlike the stormy day before and there were birds and animals to photograph much to my delight.

Failed Quest for Gold – Golden Eagles that is

By |2023-11-12T09:26:13-07:00January 30th, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Coyotes, Davis County, Golden Eagles, Horned Larks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It never, ever fails that when I have an opportunity to photograph Golden Eagles something always goes wrong.

Monday Mornings Medley of Birds on Antelope Island

By |2022-03-13T09:52:03-06:00May 13th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Chukars, Davis County, Horned Larks, Red-tailed Hawks, Sage Thrashers, Say's Phoebes, Utah, Western Kingbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Western Kingbird After several days of not being able to photograph birds because of bad weather I was pleasantly surprised to have a medley of birds to photograph on Antelope Island Monday.

Horned Lark and a broken heart

By |2022-03-04T14:27:19-07:00January 29th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Frustrations in bird photography, Horned Larks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

I have dreamed about getting a shot like this since I first started photographing Horned Larks, I wanted a shot of a Horned Lark at the precise moment it began to lift off with the wings lifted.

Horned Lark, Moth Mullein and Antelope Island

By |2020-04-05T08:55:46-06:00July 7th, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Horned Larks, Utah, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There are seasonal cycles on Antelope Island State park, winter turns to spring, spring to summer, summer to fall and fall to winter but there are also yearly cycles for the wildflowers that bloom on the island too.

And We Have Lift Off!

By |2024-02-04T08:01:40-07:00June 30th, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Herring Gulls, Horned Larks, Montana, Pinellas County, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-shouldered Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, Swainson's Hawks, Utah, Western Meadowlarks, Willets|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I wanted to share some bird lift off images today so I rounded up a few that showed different styles of lift offs.

Great Horned Owls and Horned Larks – Birds with Tufts

By |2024-03-05T09:37:54-07:00April 15th, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Great Horned Owls, Horned Larks, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Great Horned Owls and Horned Larks are species of birds that have tufts that I photograph regularly here in Utah.

A Lark, Or Two, Or Four

By |2021-09-11T13:45:39-06:00April 5th, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Beaverhead County, Birds, Davis County, Horned Larks, Lark Buntings, Lark Sparrows, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Tooele County, Utah, Western Meadowlarks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The only native true lark that lives and breeds in North America is the Horned Lark.

Female Horned Lark and the moon setting over the Stansbury Mountains

By |2023-10-06T04:32:17-06:00March 31st, 2013|Categories: Birds, Horned Larks, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

I photograph tons of male Horned Larks but don't have that many images of female Horned Larks, I was happy to find this beautiful female dancing and singing on a boulder in early morning light yesterday in Tooele County, Utah.

Horned Larks in Box Elder County

By |2021-02-11T14:43:27-07:00February 25th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Horned Larks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

I spotted a flock of Horned Larks in Box Elder County, some were foraging on the road and a few were perched on mounds of snow that someone had plowed. It seemed like the ones on the snow were just enjoying the sunshine.

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