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_ Nesting. On the ground in the open. Nest of grass in small, natural hollow. Often 
amidst the snowdrifts of early spring. 
Distribution. North America, Europe, and Asia. In Canada, all open country north 
to the Arctic ocean and irregularly over the islands beyond. 
SUBSPECIES. Few birds have been divided into as many, or as puzzling, sub- 
species as the Horned Lark. In Canada, we have a Northern and Southern series of sub- 
species distributed across the continent, the northern ones being, in each case, slightly but 
consistently larger than their southern neighbours. Across the more southerly parts 
of Ontario and Quebec we have the Prairie Homed Lark Otocoris cdpestris praticola, 
extending westward into Manitoba. This is a small, moderately pale bird; line over eye 
and forehead, white; throat pale yellow, sometimes white. North of this subspecies is 
the type form, the Eastern Homed Lark Otocoris alpestris alpestris. Slightly larger and 
more robust, all the colouring stronger, and the eyebrows, forehead, and cheeks distinctly 
yellow. This bird migrates irregularly through the southern parts of the eastern provinces, 
and occasionally through Manitoba. West of the range of the Prairie Homed Lark is the 
Desert Horned Lark Otocoris alpestris leucolaema, of the same small size as the Prairie 
Horned Lark, but decidedly paler, the vinaceous of the upper parts is reduced to pinkish, 
and the brown back stripings are largely concealed with greyish. Throat, yellow or white. 
This form occupies most of our central prairies and southward. Some authorities divide 
this into two races, the northern of which enters Canada and is known as the Saskatchewan 
Homed Lark Otocoris alpestris enthemia, but it has not been accepted in the Check-list. 
North, along the central Arctic coast and extending eastward in the islands above, is 
Hoyt’s Horned Lark Otocoris alpestris hoyti. It approximates the large Eastern Lark 
in size, but the forehead, eyebrow, and face are white. The throat may be pale yellow or 
white. In summer, the body colours are bright and contrastive, with much strong ruddy. 
In migration season it is much like the Prairie Homed Lark, but larger. It migrates 
through the Prairie Provinces. In the lowlands of southern British Columbia the Dusky 
Homed Lark Otocoris alpestris merrilli is a rather rare summer resident. It is a small 
dark form very similar to the Prairie Homed Lark, but usually with a yellowish eyebrow, 
and is far removed from that race geographically. At higher elevations through British 
Columbia and lower in Y ukon and Alaska, is the Pallid Homed Lark Otocoris alpestris arcticola. 
It is another large race, paler than the Dusky, the Prairie, or Hoyt’s, but darker than the 
Desert. The throat is always white. In size, it agrees with Hoyt’s and the Eastern 
Homed Larks. It migrates throughout the prairies, perhaps as far east as Manitoba. 
East of the Coast range in southern British Columbia the Streaked Homed Lark Otocoris 
alpestris strigata may be found. It is the smallest of our Canadian Homed Larks, and 
the darkest and reddest in colour, with underparts usually showing faintly yellow below 
the black gorget. 
The differences between some of these races is not very marked and 
even the expert must have an ample series of specimens for comparison 
before making decisive identification. The differences may not average 
more than half an inch in total length, even in characteristic birds of 
comparable age and sex. Intermediates are common and individual 
variation is considerable. In migration, many wander far from their 
breeding homes and mix together, and, in some cases, late migrants do not 
leave southern stations before resident birds are rearing young. In the 
mountains, forms may be separated by no more than altitude and but a 
few miles of territory. All of these factors tend to make rules on identifica- 
tion and ranges of the forms of this species a difficult matter, and may 
require constant revision of opinion until much more work has been done 
and more complete series of specimens are available for examination and 
comparison. 
The Horned Lark is a bird of the open, frequenting bare fields, beaches, 
or roadways. In the winter, the seeds of weeds projecting from the snow 
are its main food supply, and numbers frequent travelled roads for the 
partly digested grain dropped by the horses. Occasionally large winter 
flocks appear. It is in such migrant congregations that the rarer forms 
should be looked for. 
