Sparrows of North Dakota
Unstreaked Sparrows
3. Lark Sparrow
- Chondestes grammacus
- Length-6 1/2 inches
- BREEDING SPECIES
- Central Breast Spot
Head pattern in adults one of the most distinctive. White and chestnut striped
head, chestnut ear patch directly behind and below the eye. Has a single, dark
spot in the center of an otherwise completely whitish-gray breast. Rounded tail
with white corners also one of the best identifying characteristics. Sexes similar.
Lives on the ground on prairies, abandoned fields and along country roadways.
More common in western North Dakota. Feeds, sometimes by hopping, on weed and
grass seeds, grasshoppers and other insects. Nests on the ground at the base
of a small plant or in a lower branch of a shrub or tree. Nest made of grasses,
weed stems and small twigs.
Previous Sparrow -- Field Sparrow (
Spizella pusilla)
Return to Sparrow List
Next Sparrow -- Grasshopper Sparrow (
Ammodramus savannarum)
