Lark Sparrow
413741
194254953
2008-02-26T21:12:20Z
Eubot
231599
Removed taxobox colour. See [[User:Eubot/Removing colours from taxoboxen]].
{{Taxobox
| name = Lark Sparrow
| status = LC
| image = LarkSparrow.jpg
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[bird|Aves]]
| ordo = [[Passeriformes]]
| familia = [[American sparrow|Emberizidae]]
| genus = '''''Chondestes'''''
| genus_authority = [[William Swainson|Swainson]], 1827
| species = '''''C. grammacus'''''
| binomial = ''Chondestes grammacus''
| binomial_authority = ([[Thomas Say|Say]], 1823)
}}
The '''Lark Sparrow''', ''Chondestes grammacus'', is a fairly large [[sparrow]]. It is the only member of the genus ''Chondestes''.
This [[passerine]] [[bird]] breeds in southern [[Canada]], much of the [[United States|USA]], and northern [[Mexico]]. It is much less common in the east, where its range is contracting. The populations in Mexico and adjacent USA states are resident, but other birds are [[bird migration|migratory]], wintering in the southern United States, Mexico and south to [[Guatemala]].
It is a very common vagrant to western [[Europe]], with two accepted records in [[Great Britain]] in 1981 and 1991.
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.
The breeding habitat is a variety of open habitats including grasslands and cultivation. Lark Sparrows nest on the ground, laying 3-6 eggs in a grass cup nest sheltered by a clump of grass or other vegetation. The eggs are white with black scrawling.
These birds forage on the ground or in low bushes. They mainly eat seeds, but insects, including [[grasshopper]]s are also eaten in the breeding season. They form flocks on migration or in winter.
The song is two clear notes followed by a mixture of buzzes and trills. The flight call is a thin ''sit''.
==References==
* {{IUCN2006|assessors=BirdLife International|year=2004|id=53572|title=Chondestes grammacus|downloaded=12 May 2006}} Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
*''Buntings and Sparrows'' by Byers, Olsson and Curson, ISBN 0-7470-3202-5
==External links==
* [http://www.sdakotabirds.com/species/lark_sparrow_info.htm Lark Sparrow Information and Photos] - South Dakota Birds and Birding
* [http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Lark_Sparrow.html Lark Sparrow Species Account] - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
* [http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i5520id.html Lark Sparrow - ''Chondestes grammacus''] - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
* [http://vireo.acnatsci.org/search.html?Form=Search&SEARCHBY=Common&KEYWORDS=lark+sparrow&showwhat=images&AGE=All&SEX=All&ACT=All&Search=Search&VIEW=All&ORIENTATION=All&RESULTS=24 Lark Sparrow photo gallery] VIREO
* [http://ibc.hbw.com/ibc/phtml/especie.phtml?idEspecie=9593 Lark Sparrow videos] on the Internet Bird Collection
==Further reading==
<div class="reflist4" style="height: 220px; overflow: auto; padding: 3px" >
===Book===
* Martin, J. W., and J. R. Parrish. 2000. ''Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus)''. In ''The Birds of North America'', No. 488 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.
===Thesis===
* Grigore MT. Ph.D. (1999). ''Breeding ecology and nest site selection in the eastern lark sparrow (Chondestes grammacus grammacus Say) at the edge of its range and implications for land managers''. The University of Toledo, United States -- Ohio.
===Articles===
* Bock CE & Bock JH. (1987). ''Avian Habitat Occupancy Following Fire in a Montana USA Shrubsteppe''. Prairie Naturalist. vol '''19''', no 3. p. 153-158.
* Bock CE & Bock JH. (1992). ''Response of Birds to Wildfire in Native Versus Exotic Arizona Grassland''. Southwestern Naturalist. vol '''37''', no 1. p. 73-81.
* Bolger DT, Scott TA & Rotenberry JT. (1997). ''Breeding bird abundance in an urbanizing landscape in coastal Southern California''. Conservation Biology. vol '''11''', no 2. p. 406-421.
* Brush SW & Ferguson GW. (1986). ''Predation of Lark Sparrow Chondestes-Grammacus Eggs by a Massasauga Rattlesnake Sistrurus-Catenatus''. Southwestern Naturalist. vol '''31''', no 2. p. 260-261.
* Campbell RW. (1973). ''Lark Sparrow on Vancouver Island''. Canadian Field Naturalist. vol '''87''', no 4. p. 471-472.
* Carson RJ & Spicer GS. (2003). ''A phylogenetic analysis of the emberizid sparrows based on three mitochondrial genes''. Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution. vol '''29''', no 1. p. 43-57.
* Charlton TD. (1995). ''Lark Sparrow in Suffolk: New to the western Palearctic''. British Birds. vol '''88''', no 9. p. 395-400.
* Crowell DK, Carpenter CC & Huffman DG. (1982). ''Nest Sharing by a Lark Sparrow Chandestes-Grammacus''. Auk. vol '''99''', no 3. p. 591-592.
* Crowell DK, Carpenter CC & Huffman DG. (1982). ''NEST-SHARING BY A LARK SPARROW''. Auk. vol '''99''', no 3. p. 591-592.
* Davis MA, Peterson DW, Reich PB, Crozier M, Query T, Mitchell E, Huntington J & Bazakas P. (2000). ''Restoring savanna using fire: Impact on the breeding bird community''. Restoration Ecology. vol '''8''', no 1. p. 30-40.
* Fink LC. (1969). ''Lark Sparrow in Atlanta''. Oriole. vol '''34''', no 4.
* Flanders AA, Kuvlesky WP, Jr., Ruthven DC, III, Zaiglin RE, Bingham RL, Fulbright TE, Hernandez F & Brennan LA. (2006). ''Effects of invasive exotic grasses on South Texas rangeland breeding birds''. Auk. vol '''123''', no 1. p. 171-182.
* Fortin MJ, Keitt TH, Maurer BA, Taper ML, Kaufman DM & Blackburn TM. (2005). ''Species' geographic ranges and distributional limits: pattern analysis and statistical issues''. Oikos. vol '''108''', no 1. p. 7-17.
* Grantham J. (1976). ''Lark Sparrow Sightings at Island Beach State Park''. Cassinia. vol '''56''', p. 26-27.
* Haire SL, Bock CE, Cade BS & Bennett BC. (2000). ''The role of landscape and habitat characteristics in limiting abundance of grassland nesting songbirds in an urban open space''. Landscape & Urban Planning. vol '''48''', no 1-2. p. 65-82.
* Hill RA. (1976). ''Host Parasite Relationships of the Brown-Headed Cowbird in a Prairie Habitat of West Central Kansas USA''. Wilson Bulletin. vol '''88''', no 4. p. 555-565.
* Houston CS & Houston MI. (2001). ''Slow northward spread of the Lark Sparrow''. Blue Jay. vol '''59''', no 1. p. 40-42.
* Lusk JJ, Wells KS, Guthery FS & Fuhlendorf SD. (2003). ''Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) nest-site selection and success in a mixed-grass prairie''. Auk. vol '''120''', no 1. p. 120-129.
* McNair DB. (1984). ''Reuse of Other Species Nests by Lark Sparrows Chondestes-Grammacus''. Southwestern Naturalist. vol '''29''', no 4. p. 506-509.
* McNair DB. (1985). ''A Comparison of Oology and Nest Record Card Data in Evaluating the Reproductive Biology of Lark Sparrows Chondestes-Grammacus''. Southwestern Naturalist. vol '''30''', no 2. p. 213-224.
* Peer BD, Robinson SK & Herkert JR. (2000). ''Egg rejection by cowbird hosts in grasslands''. Auk. vol '''117''', no 4. p. 892-901.
* Renwald JD. (1977). ''EFFECT OF FIRE ON LARK SPARROW NESTING DENSITIES''. Journal of Range Management. vol '''30''', no 4. p. 283-285.
* Rowland MM, Wisdom MJ, Suring LH & Meinke CW. (2006). ''Greater sage-grouse as an umbrella species for sagebrush-associated vertebrates''. Biological Conservation. vol '''129''', no 3. p. 323-335.
* Schuler CA, Rickard WH & Sargeant GA. (1993). ''CONSERVATION OF HABITATS FOR SHRUBSTEPPE BIRDS''. Environmental Conservation. vol '''20''', no 1. p. 57-64.
* Suedkamp Wells KM & Fuhlendorf SD. (2005). ''Comparison of microclimate at grassland bird nests with different substrates''. Prairie Naturalist. vol '''37''', no 1. p. 21-28.
* Swanson DA. (1996). ''Nesting ecology and nesting habitat requirements of Ohio's grassland-nesting birds: A literature review''. Ohio Fish & Wildlife Report. vol '''0''', no 13. p. 3-60.
* Vega JH & Rappole JH. (1994). ''Effects of scrub mechanical treatment on the nongame bird community in the Rio Grande Plain of Texas''. Wildlife Society Bulletin. vol '''22''', no 2. p. 165-171.
* Walters J. (1977). ''Lark Sparrow in Ontario County''. Kingbird. vol '''27''', no 2.
* Williams MD. (1972). ''Eastern Ridge and Valley Region a Lark Sparrow Nest''. Migrant. vol '''43''', no 3. p. 78-80.
</div>
<!-- see decent RangeMap/maps etc: at "www.natureserve.org" .... only a vagrant in Central America, and the Caribbean islands ...
... 5 August 2007 Mmcannis...
[[Category:Birds of El Salvador|Sparrow, Lark]]
[[Category:Birds of Honduras|Sparrow, Lark]]
[[Category:Birds of the Bahamas|Sparrow, Lark]]
[[Category:Birds of the Turks and Caicos Islands|Sparrow, Lark]]
[[Category:Birds of Cuba|Sparrow, Lark]]
[[Category:Birds of Bermuda|Sparrow, Lark]]...-->
<!-- "Old:" the Prainie states, etc -->
<!-- Vagrant "Notes"-->
[[Category:Genera of birds]]
[[Category:Birds of North America|Sparrow, Lark]]
[[Category:Birds of Canada|Sparrow, Lark]]
[[Category:Birds of the United States|Sparrow, Lark]]
[[Category:Birds of Mexico|Sparrow, Lark]]
[[Category:Birds of Guatemala|Sparrow, Lark]]
[[Category:Birds of Belize|Sparrow, Lark]]
[[fr:Bruant à joues marron]]