A female Horned Lark on a February morningA female Horned Lark on a February morning – Nikon D810, f5.6, 1/2500, ISO 320, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Yesterday I took a few images of a Horned Lark male singing on Antelope Island State Park and it reminded me that I hadn’t posted this image of a female Horned Lark that I photographed last year.

Other vagrant larks do show up now and then but Horned Larks are the only lark native to North America.  In their range Horned Larks can be found in elevations from sea level up to 13,000 feet and because they were found at such high elevations Linnaeus called them Alauda alpestris which meant “lark of the mountains”. Now belongs to the genus Eremophila but I must admit I like thinking of it as the lark of the mountains.

Horned Larks are early nesters and nests can be found as early as February even in northern States. I do know that the males here in Utah are already singing on their territories and chasing other males around.

Life is good.

Mia