Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
Flight call description Gives a wide variety of flight calls. Soft, whistled notes include a descending "seerp", or shorter "syp", and a longer, monotone "tseep". Two-noted calls include a slurred, descending "see-der" and a rattle-like "chi-dip".
Fig.1. Arizona January 25, 2001 (WRE).
"Seerp" call from bird in flight.
Fig.2. Arizona January 25, 2001 (WRE).
"Syp" call from bird in flight.
Fig.3. New York June 14, 1989 (WRE).
"Tseep" call from bird in flight.
Fig.4. Arizona January 25, 2001 (WRE).
"See-der" call from bird in flight.
Fig.5. Arizona January 25, 2001 (WRE).
"Chi-dip" call from bird in flight with Common Ravens calling in the background.
Examples
Diurnal calling sequences:
1. Arizona January 25, 2001 (WRE). Bird in flight giving "seerp" calls.
2. Texas March 2000 (WRE). Bird in flight.
3. Oklahoma January 1, 2001 (WRE). Flock in flight on the wintering grounds.
Similar species Most calls distinctive. "Seerp" call similar to the descending whistles of some longspurs but is higher and much shorter.
Behavior Migrates during the day and presumably also at night. Flight calls are commonly given in diurnal flight but are unrecorded at night.