Lark Bunting

Scientific name: Calamospiza melanocorys

Highly gregarious in the winter months, the Lark Bunting also tends to nest in loose aggregations. Nests are placed on the ground in the shade of a plant, and Lark Buntings are aggressive defenders of their nest.

Lark Bunting nests are seldom parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbirds, and when it does occur the buntings sometimes eject the eggs or abandon the nest to start again. Seasonal unpredictability of rainfall and temperature leads to fluctuations of local populations from one year to the next.

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