The streaked horned lark was added to the candidate list in October 2001. An annual review of the species was conducted in 2007.

Description

The streaked horned lark is a small, slender, long-winged bird with distinctive black "horns", which are actually feather tufts. The face and throat are yellowish with a broad black stripe under the eyes, and a black bib covering the chest.

Historical Status and Current Trend

The streaked horned lark once occurred from British Columbia, Canada, south to northern California. In Oregon, the streaked horned lark was a common summer resident in the Rogue River, Umpqua, and Willamette Valleys, as well as many other smaller valleys on the west side of the Cascade Mountain range. Streaked horned larks winter in eastern Washington, Oregon, and Northern California.

In Oregon, the streaked horned lark was once considered abundant in Benton, Lane, Linn, Polk, and Yamhill Counties in the Willamette Valley, and east of Medford in Jackson County in the Rogue River Valley. Today, the streaked horned lark is most abundant in the central Willamette Valley. Most notable is the population on or near Basket Slough National Wildlife Refuge. Other populations occur between Tangent, Peoria, and Harrisburg, Oregon. Streaked horned larks have also been reported on islands in the lower Columbia River. It is estimated that approximately 150 to 200 pairs still breed in Oregon. These counts are based on the assumption that a singing male indicates a breeding pair of birds.

Habitat

This species is associated with bare ground or sparsely vegetated habitats. Streaked horned larks nest in grass seed fields, pastures, fallow fields and wetland mudflats. Young Christmas tree farms have extensive bare ground which can provide habitat for streaked horned larks. Gravel roads or roadsides are another common location to find streaked horned larks.

Life History

Nesting begins in late March and continues into June. The nest consists of a shallow depression built in the open or near a grass clump and lined with fine dead grasses. The female commonly lays four greenish or grayish eggs speckled with brown. Incubation is only 11 days and the young are able to fly within 9 to 12 days after hatching.

Food

The streaked horned lark feeds on the ground, and eats mainly weed seeds and insects.

Reason for Decline

The most significant factor in the decline of the streaked horned lark has been the loss of habitat. Native prairies and grasslands have been virtually eliminated throughout the range of the species, mainly by conversion to agriculture and residential uses. It has been estimated that less than one percent of the native savanna and grassland remains in the range of the streaked horned lark (Oregon-Washington Partners in Flight 2000). The encroachment of non-native plants in native habitats is another key factor contributing to the species' decline. Streaked horned larks will use a variety of human-altered habitats with sparse vegetation, such as plowed fields, grass seed fields, and fallow fields. However, in these human-altered landscapes, the birds are vulnerable to frequent disturbance (e.g., mowing, plowing, recreational vehicle use).

Conservation Measures

Several conservation measures have been developed to help the streaked horned lark recover from its current low population level. Land managers are encouraged to: (1) use mechanical or natural means to maintain or create bare ground and sparsely vegetated areas within or adjacent to areas of suitable habitat; (2) create suitable habitat in areas secure from disturbance by vehicles, predators (e.g., away from edges of fields), and flooding events (e.g., upland hummocks, dikes, etc.) to reduce the species' vulnerability and potentially increase nest success and population size; and (3) use moist soil management to create seasonal mudflats where possible (Oregon-Washington Partners in Flight 2000).

References and Links

Pearson, S.F., and B. Altman. 2005. Range-wide Streaked Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris strigata) Assessment and Preliminary Conservation Strategy. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia, WA. 25pp.

Oregon-Washington Partners in Flight. 2000. Conservation strategy for landbirds in lowlands and valleys of western Oregon and Washington (Version 1.0). Partners in Flight. 111pp.