Lark Bunting
Calamospiza melanocorys
Silhouette: L. Shyamal · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyPasserellidae (New World Sparrows)
- GenusCalamospiza
- SpeciesCalamospiza melanocorys (Lark Bunting)
About the Lark Bunting
The lark bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys) is a medium-sized American bunting native to central and western North America. It was designated the state bird of Colorado in 1931. The lark bunting is monotypic, the only member of the genus Calamospiza, and is not closely related to any other genera. It was first described by J. K. Townsend in 1837, from a specimen collected on a trip he took with Thomas Nuttall, under the name Fringilla bicolor. This is a preoccupied name, so Leonhard Hess Stejneger renamed the species in 1885 Calamospiza melanocorys. By then, the lark bunting had already been given its own genus, the one it is still placed in, by Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1838.
Lark buntings are small songbirds, with a short, thick, bluish bill. There is a large patch of white on the wings and they have a relatively short tail with white tips at the end of the feathers. Breeding males have an all black body with a large white patch on the upper part of the wing. Nonbreeding males and females look similar and are grayish brown with white stripes.
Measurements: Length: 5.5–7.1 in (140–180 mm) Weight: 1.3–1.5 oz (37–43 g) Wingspan: 9.8–11.0 in (250–280... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Lark Bunting in Guadalupe Mountains National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Spotted Towhee
Pipilo maculatus
Chipping Sparrow
Spizella passerina
Canyon Towhee
Melozone fusca
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
Aimophila ruficeps
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Black-throated Sparrow
Amphispiza bilineata
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
Black-chinned Sparrow
Spizella atrogularis
Lincoln's Sparrow
Melospiza lincolnii
Green-tailed Towhee
Pipilo chlorurus
Lark Sparrow
Chondestes grammacus
White-throated Sparrow
Zonotrichia albicollis
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 3 | Cabo Pulmo National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 4 | Isle Royale National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Bahía de Loreto National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 6 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Lark Bunting in Guadalupe Mountains National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Lark Bunting sighting in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, based on 20 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Lark Bunting in Guadalupe Mountains National Park?
September has the highest sighting rate for Lark Bunting in Guadalupe Mountains National Park in our monthly data.