Horned Lark: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Little Songbirds · day 7 of 7

Five facts

1. A female horned lark found frozen in Siberian permafrost is 44,000 to 49,000 years old.
2. A male courts by singing and circling above the female, then dives, opening his wings just before the ground.
3. Females often add a "doorstep" of pebbles, corncobs or dung to the nest. It may hide the dug-out dirt.
4. In summer, the male wears two black feather tufts on his head, like little horns.
5. In North America, horned larks turn up on farmland, prairies, deserts, golf courses and airports.

The quiz

1. Where was the frozen horned lark found?

• In Siberian permafrost (correct)
• In an Alaskan glacier
• In a Greenland cave
• In Arctic sea ice

It was found in Siberian permafrost.

2. What does a male do at the end of his courtship dive?

• Lands on the female
• Opens his wings just before the ground (correct)
• Folds his wings tight
• Drops a pebble

He opens his wings just before reaching the ground.

3. What might the "doorstep" at the nest be used for?

• Keeping chicks warm
• Scaring off snakes
• Hiding the dug-out dirt (correct)
• Storing seeds

The doorstep may cover the dirt she dug out, helping to hide the nest.

4. What are the horned lark's "horns"?

• Small bony bumps
• Two long tail feathers
• Two coloured bills
• Two tufts of feathers (correct)

The horns are two tufts of feathers on the male's head.

5. Which place is NOT listed for horned larks in North America?

• Deserts
• Dense rainforest (correct)
• Golf courses
• Airports

They turn up on farmland, prairies, deserts, golf courses and airports.

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