Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus)

Where’s Wildlife · Bird Field Guide

Lark Sparrow

Chondestes grammacus

Chestnut patches, pale stripes, and a dark mustache create a striking pattern. Explore the photographs, learn its field marks, and discover where to look.

Lark Sparrow · Field photograph 1View all 1 photograph ↗
Select the main image to browse the full gallery.

How to recognize it

Three identification clues

01 · FIELD MARK

Bold face

Chestnut patches, pale stripes, and a dark mustache create a striking pattern. [1]

02 · FIELD MARK

Central breast spot

Adults have a dark spot on a largely clear pale breast. [1]

03 · FIELD MARK

White tail tips

White outer-tail markings can flash in flight. [1]

Field tip: Note the bird’s shape and behavior first, then check its markings. Age, season, and lighting can change its appearance.

Where and when to look

Finding Lark Sparrow

Look on open ground near scattered trees, and check fence posts for perched birds. Notice the face before relying on the breast spot. [1] [2]

Use the range map above for seasonal context and the sightings link below to explore local records.

Listen for it

Learn the songs and calls

Compare Cornell’s recordings with what you hear outdoors. Listen for the rhythm and quality of each sound, then try to locate the bird visually.

Listen to songs and calls at Cornell ↗

Compare the details

Common look-alikes

Compare the combination of shape, face pattern, and behavior with the similar-species photographs linked below. A single color or marking can be misleading.

See similar species and comparison photographs ↗

Look closer

Field Photographs

Photographs © Where’s Wildlife. Select any image to explore all 1 photograph.

Lark Sparrow · Field photograph 1
Lark Sparrow · Field photograph 1

Life history

How this bird lives

Habitat and nesting

Females choose ground or shrub nest sites. Pairs form for the breeding season, and feeding birds become more social later. [2]

Food and foraging

Seeds and insects. [2]

Watch where the bird searches for food and how it moves. Feeding behavior can be a useful clue alongside plumage.

Did you know?

A closer look at Lark Sparrow

Courtship strut

Males spread their tails in an elaborate ground display. [2] [1]

Flexible nest site

Some pairs reuse nests made by other species. [2] [1]

Seasonal menu

Insects are more prominent in the summer diet. [2] [1]

Range & Sightings

See where people are finding this bird

Explore community observations, photographs, and locations on iNaturalist. Zoom to your area and use date filters to investigate seasonal sightings.

View iNaturalist Sightings ↗

Reported sightings are not a complete range map. An area without records does not necessarily mean the species is absent.

Keep Learning

Bring the clues together

Choose a photograph above and describe three things you notice before looking at the identification cards. On your next walk, compare those clues with the bird’s habitat and behavior.

Sources & Further Reading

Numbered references support the identification details and natural-history information above. Cornell links open All About Birds, from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

[1] Cornell · Identification ↗[2] Cornell · Life history ↗[3] Cornell · Natural history ↗[4] Cornell · Songs and calls ↗[5] Cornell · Similar species ↗[6] Cornell · Range map ↗iNaturalist · Community observations ↗

Previous and next birds follow common-name alphabetical order.