nonbreeding male or female; brown streaked (California, USA; 2012-01-28)


Lark Bunting
Calamospiza melanocorys

Native Range: North America

Notes: nests in the prairies of central North America; striking sexual dimorphism with the male being jet black with a large white wing patch; female and non-breeding male are finch-like brown-streaked birds, but they retain enough of the white patch on the wing to make them recognizable; the bird pictured here was a vagrant far out of its normal range.

retains hint of the white mark on wing (California, USA; 2012-01-28)
shows some blackish on tips of primaries (California, USA; 2012-01-28)

ventral view; streaked underparts too (California, USA; 2012-01-28)
central breast spot; noticeable wing markings (California, USA; 2012-01-28)

light eyebrow stripe; conical bill (California, USA; 2012-01-28)
large eyes with a thin light eye-ring (California, USA; 2012-01-28)

somewhat reminescent of female House Finch (California, USA; 2012-01-28)
posing for a portrait (California, USA; 2012-01-28)

male; all-black except for white wing patch (Arizona, USA; 2012-04-28)
flock perched on a fence (Arizona, USA; 2012-04-28)