Shore Lark

“Shore Lark or Horned Lark. Upper parts in general pinkish-brown, this pinkish or vinaceous or liliaceous tint brightest on the nape, lesser wing-coverts, and tail-coverts, the rest of the upper parts being duller and more grayish-brown, boldly variegated with dark brown streaks; middle pair of tail-feathers and several of the inner secondaries rufous-brown, with darker centres. Under parts, from the breast backward, white; the sides strongly washed with the color of the upper parts, and mottling of same across the lower part of the breast. A large, distinct, shield-shaped black area of the breast. Tail-feathers, except the middle pair, black, the outermost edged with whitish. Wings quills, except the innermost, plain fuscous, the outer web of the 1st primary whitish. Lesser wing-coverts usually tipped with grayish-white. Top of head like nape; bar across front of vertex, thence extended along sides of crown, and produced into a tuft, or “horn” black; front and line over eye, also somewhat produced to form part of the tuft, white or yellowish; a broad bar from nostrils along the lores, thence curving below the eye and widening as it descends in front of the auriculars, black; rest of the sides of the head and whole throat white or sulphury-yellow. Bill plumbeous-blackish, bluish-plumbeous at base below (sometimes there yellowish); feet and claws black; iris brown.” Elliot Coues, 1884

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