Corvallis Lark Sparrow

[Lisa Millbank]

Don peeked out of the back door a couple of hours ago and said "There's a . . . what is that, a Lark Sparrow!?"  And there was indeed a Lark Sparrow eating millet on the patio!  Lark Sparrows are fairly rare migrants in this part of the Willamette Valley.

If that bird is a male, I hope we'll hear his complex song today.  The song is a mix of clear notes and buzzes that males seemingly rearrange into many varied song types, which is somewhat similar to the way male American Goldfinches also mix and match various song elements.

When I was growing up in Medford, Lark Sparrows were common in certain locations, and one of a handful of distinctively patterned sparrows I could actually identify as a beginner.  Even though I love all of the "streaky little brown bird"-type sparrows now, I still have a nostalgic fondness for Lark Sparrows, and it was very cool to have one show up in our yard.

Lisa Millbank