I’d subtitle this diary as “One of the reasons I love Midwest winters.” I’ve been doing a fair amount of birding lately, but always seem to go on the days we return to typical SE Michigan winter instead of the early spring days. But sometimes those cold days bring unexpected benefits. Light snow on the ground last weekend in Ohio brought Horned Larks to the roadside. I see them often, but at a distance. And they blend in well in the agricultural fields where I usually see them in winter.
THE DAILY BUCKET IS A NATURE REFUGE. WE AMICABLY DISCUSS ANIMALS, WEATHER, CLIMATE, SOIL, PLANTS, WATERS AND NOTE LIFE’S PATTERNS.
All About Birds explains that Horned Larks favor habitat like this — short grasses and plowed fields. They eat insects and seeds:
They feed their nestlings mostly insects, which provide the protein the young birds need to grow. Insect prey are mainly grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars. Chicks may also be fed invertebrates such as sowbugs and earthworms. Horned Larks glean most of their food from the ground, but they sometimes perch on plants to harvest seeds from seed heads. In agricultural fields they may pluck and eat sprouting lettuce, wheat, and other crop seedlings.
When snow covers the ground, they come to roadsides and paths to forage. One very cooperative Lark stayed close to the road instead of disappearing into the stubble.
Now it’s your turn. What’s up in nature in your area?