BeakBrain
Menu
Bird GuideDaily BirdCamsTripsCommunityGet the app

Lark Sparrow

Chondestes grammacus

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernSeedsShrublandCup nestSmall · 29 g
Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus), photo 1
Photo: Daniel S. Katz · CC BY 4.0
Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus), photo 2
Photo: Daniel S. Katz · CC BY 4.0
Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus), photo 3
Photo: jayjt · CC BY 4.0
Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus), photo 4
Photo: jayjt · CC BY 4.0
Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus), photo 5
Photo: Dorothy Johnson · CC0
Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus), photo 6
Photo: Ken Clark · CC BY 4.0
Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus), photo 7
Photo: iNaturalist user: desertnaturalist · CC BY 4.0
Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus), photo 8
Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0
Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus), photo 9
Photo: Andrew C · CC BY 2.0
Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus), photo 10
Photo: Andrew C · CC BY 2.0

What the Lark Sparrow sounds like

Sonogram of the Lark Sparrow: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by steve · Song · Cuero, DeWitt County, Texas, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto
Sonogram of the Lark Sparrow: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Luke Hahn · Song · Wisconsin (near Spring Green), Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

The lark sparrow is distinctive. Adults have a typically sparrow-like dark-streaked brown back, and white underparts except for a dark central spot. The cheeks and crown sides are chestnut, with white eyebrow and crown stripes. The dark tail's corners are also white. Young lark sparrows are duller, and the underparts are streaked. Measurements: Length: 5.9–6.7 in (15–17 cm) Weight: 0.8–1.2 oz (24–33 g) Wingspan: 11.0 in (28 cm) Voice: The song is two clear notes followed by a mixture of buzzes and trills. The flight call is a thin sit.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Lark Sparrow

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 10 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is May, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Lark Sparrow

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 12 countries with regular records, and 2 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

United States Mexico Canada Costa Rica Belize Cuba Bahamas Guatemala St. Pierre & Miquelon Cayman Islands El Salvador Bermuda

Recorded as a rare visitor in United Kingdom, Honduras.

About the Lark Sparrow

The lark sparrow is a fairly large New World sparrow. It is the only member of the genus Chondestes.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) Vesper SparrowPooecetes gramineusThe vesper sparrow is 14–16 cm (5.5–6.3 in) in overall length and weighs 19.5–28.3 g (0.69–1.00 oz). Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) Clay-colored SparrowSpizella pallidaThe clay-colored sparrow or clay-coloured sparrow is a small New World sparrow of North America. Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis) Rufous-collared SparrowZonotrichia capensisThe rufous-collared sparrow is 13.5–15 cm (5+1⁄4–6 in) long and weighs 20–25 g (0.71–0.88 oz).

Side by side: Lark Sparrow vs Rufous-collared Sparrow · Lark Sparrow vs Vesper Sparrow

Learn the Lark Sparrow in the BeakBrain App

Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Play today's Daily Bird

Every photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.