and dry grasslands that encircle the farming areas. During May and June the 

 young of resident horned larks may "be noted alDOut the fields. Beginning 

 usually late in June or early in July, when the early oroods of youngsters 

 are Just ahle to travel extensively, there is a movement from the open co'untry 

 into the general fa.rming district, and the population of horned larks in the 

 latter areas may show a sudden and great increase. J\irther increases in num- 

 hers may "be noted throughout the remainder of the summer and early fall, as 

 additional "bands flock in from their open-country range. 



"The food of the horned lark consists largely of seeds picked up from 

 the ground." This statement "by Beal is virtually as true today as it was 

 when Beal wrote it in 1910, i/ Analysis of the food items contained in 259 

 horned lark stomachs collected in California showed the annual food of the 

 "birds to consist of a,"bout 91 percent vegeta'ble, and 9 percent animal, matter. 

 Among the vegeta'ble foods Beal listed com, wheat, and oats from among the 

 cultivated crops. Seeds of weeds and wild grasses averaged 51 percent of the 

 total food. Insects were la.rgely taken from Alarch to June, and many of them 

 were fed the young. 



Study of a small series of stomachs recently collected reveals little 

 change except that the "birds' liking for succulent vegeta'ble crops, practi- 

 cally unknown in Beal's time, has accentuated their vegetarian preferences. 

 In much of the State the item most frequently found in the stomachs of horned 

 larks is the seed of red maids ( Calandrinia caulescens menziesii ), ^ich 

 grows in profusion over a wide area. Other seeds commonly found are those of 

 smartweed ( Polygonum ) . alfilaria ( Erodium ), rye grass ( Lolium ) , spurrey 

 ( Spergula) . campion ( Silene ). and tarweed ( Hemizonia ) , T?hen availa'ble, T^ieat, 

 barley, oats, and milo maize nay "be taken from newly seeded grainfields. or 

 from stu"b"ble. Insect food during the period of crop damage is tmimportant . 



Crops Damaged 



Horned larks are given great opportunity for damage "by the widespread 

 abundance of cultivated products attractive to them. In the irrigated valleys 

 almost all kinds of green ta'ble vegeta'bles are raised, large acreages of vege- 

 ta'bles and sugar "beets are grown for seed, and "beans cultivated for the dried 

 product. In these valleys also are great flower-seed producing areas. On the 

 lower hills and unirrigated rolling lands additional thousands of acres of 

 similar crops adapted to dry-farming are grown. Production continues some- 

 where in. the State througl:iOut the year. 



Among the vegeta'ble crops severely damaged "by horned larks are lettuce, 

 carrots, "beets, spinach, t-ornips, and peas. Plantlets of field and truck 

 crops destroyed include those of "black-eyed peas, "beans of nearly every type, 

 sugar "beets, cantaloupes, water melons, and tomatoes. Flower plantlets of 

 many varieties, in commercial seed plantings, are frequently devoured. 



l/ Birds of California in Relation to the Fr-ait Industry, part 2, 

 "by F. E. L. Beal. Biological Siorvey Bulletin No. 34. 



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