Watercolor portrait of Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys)

Lark Bunting

Calamospiza melanocorys
Lark Buntings breed across the Great Pla… Look for it in open grasslands, shortgra… Uncommon Prairie warble

Learn to identify the Lark Bunting by ear. Master the "Sweet-sweet, ti-ti-ti, churrr!" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.

“Sweet-sweet, ti-ti-ti, churrr!”

What the Lark Bunting sounds like

The Lark Bunting is a prairie specialist with two very different looks. Breeding males are jet black with a bold white wing patch that flashes in flight, while females and young birds blend right into the grass with warm brown streaks.

“Sweet-sweet, ti-ti-ti, churrr!”

How to tell it apart

Listen for:A lively, musical jumble of whistles, trills, and buzzy notes. Males deliver it from a fence post, low shrub, or during a fluttering display flight over the grass. Often written as “Sweet-sweet, ti-ti-ti, churrr!”.
Don't confuse with:The Dickcissel — dickcissels have a yellowish chest and, on males, a black bib rather than an all-black body.

Where you'll hear it

Look for it in open grasslands, shortgrass prairie, weedy fields, and shrub-speckled plains. It likes wide skies, low cover, and plenty of room to sing from a fence post or shrub.

Spring and summer are the showiest times, when males sing from exposed perches and make fluttery display flights over the prairie. In fall and winter, they often form loose flocks and can be much quieter and harder to pick out.

Similar species

Dickcissel

Dickcissels have a yellowish chest and, on males, a black bib rather than an all-black body.

Bobolink

Male Bobolinks are black and white too, but they have a pale back and buffy nape, not a solid black body.

Savannah Sparrow

Female and nonbreeding Lark Buntings can seem sparrow-like, but Savannah Sparrows are smaller with a shorter bill.

Lark Bunting song FAQ

What does a Lark Bunting sound like?
A lively, musical jumble of whistles, trills, and buzzy notes. Males deliver it from a fence post, low shrub, or during a fluttering display flight over the grass. Listen for the "Sweet-sweet, ti-ti-ti, churrr!" phrase.
How do I tell a Lark Bunting from a Dickcissel by sound?
Dickcissel: Dickcissels have a yellowish chest and, on males, a black bib rather than an all-black body.; They show chestnut on the shoulder, not a big white wing patch.; Their bill is chunky too, so check the plumage carefully..
When is the best time to hear a Lark Bunting?
Spring and summer are the showiest times, when males sing from exposed perches and make fluttery display flights over the prairie. In fall and winter, they often form loose flocks and can be much quieter and harder to pick out.