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Breeding Range. (Fig. 107). Abundant on the Missouri Slope; common (locally abundant) throughout the Prairie Pothole Region and on the Coteau Slope and Little Missouri Slope; fairly common in the Agassiz Lake Plain Region and Turtle Mountain Region.

Breeding Habitat. This species is especially characteristic of short-grass prairie, and is equally common on mixed-grass prairie that has been grazed rather intensively or mowed. It is also found on recently mowed domestic hayfields, and has adapted very successfully to agricultural cropland fields, particularly stubble fields, bare cultivated fields, and fields with newly sprouting grain or other planted crops.

Nesting. Each year, courtship and territorial behavior of the resident Horned Larks usually was first noted during February and often reached a peak during March. Nesting season: Late March to early August; peak, late April to early July. Extreme egg dates (21 nests): April 7 [1971] in Burleigh County (J. C. Swanick) to July 10 [1967] in LaMoure County and July 10 [1968] in Wells County (RES). Extreme nestling dates (5 nests): April 15 [1971] in Burleigh County (J. C. Swanick) to June 26 [1895] in Towner County (Bishop egg collection catalog, Peabody Museum). Dependent young, capable of flying, were recorded as early as April 22 [1931] in Cass County (O. A. Stevens) and as late as August 6 [1887] in Benson County (field notes file, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service).

Nests of this species are usually nestled within small depressions on the ground in such a manner that the upper margin of a nest is level with the ground surface. Generally, nests are situated on expanses of bare or sparsely vegetated ground with little or no cover of any kind.

Indicated clutch size (12 nests): 3 to 6 eggs; mean, 4 eggs.

Figure 107. Breeding Range of Horned Lark.

Horned Lark on territory. Morton County, April 1968 (photo by Ed Bry).

Horned Lark nestlings surrounded by snow. Burleigh County, April 1965 (photo by Vernon W. Erickson).