This sparrow is getting pretty rare

One of the elder ornithologists by the name of Ridgeway described the song of the Lark Sparrow in the following manner: "One continued gush of sprightly music, now gay, now melodious and then tender beyond description – the very expression of emotion. At intervals, the singer falters, as if exhausted by exertion and his voice becomes scarcely audible; but suddenly reviving in his joy, it is resumed in all its vigor until he appears to be really overcome by the effort."

Photo by Horace Brown

The Lark Sparrow has a beautiful song, but it is becoming more and more rare in Kentucky.

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This beautiful song is often followed by the male's strutting display and certainly fits one of the most handsome members of the sparrow family.

After wintering from southern Mississippi south to Guatemala, the Lark Sparrow arrives in Kentucky inhabiting the area west of the Cumberland Plateau, probably in mid-April.

These birds have been declining at a rate of 3 percent per year, so their Kentucky status is considered to be threatened. Because of this decline, they are becoming more rare in spring and summer, where they were formerly more numerous.

Look for them in open ground such as fields, open woods and even lawns in rural areas. They forage on the ground, preying on surprisingly large insects.

The Lark Sparrow is also considered to be one of the largest sparrows, with dimensions of 6 ½inches long and an 11-inch wingspan.

The Lark Sparrow's nest is usually on the ground, however it can be near the ground in a low tree or shrub. It is filled with grasses and lined with rootlets and fine grasses and usually shaded by a clump of grass or weeds. If it is placed above the ground, then it becomes a more bulky structure on a foundation of small twigs.

Four to five eggs are laid and incubated by the female for 11-12 days. The young of the Lark Sparrow can leave the nest much earlier than most sparrows, particularly if it is disturbed by a predator or a curious, somewhat clumsy, birdwatcher.

One and sometimes two broods are raised.

By hiking and bird watching in the world of nature, you are able to see, hear, and appreciate the handsome and melodious Lark Sparrow in the Great Outdoors!

To read more columns about birds by Horace Brown, visit www.SentinelNews.com. To order a copy of Brown’s 2012 Holey Birds Calendar, E-mail whbrownpelps@aol.com, call 633-4753, 800-588-1449 or 747-0425 or write 527 Main Street, Shelbyville 40065 or 988 Catwalk Road, Bagdad 40003.