When do horned larks arrive in Ontario?
The Horned Lark is a summer breeder in Ontario — here is when to expect it, when it leaves, and how to be ready.
Horned Lark timing in Ontario
- Arrives
- Around February
- Leaves
- By August
- Status here
- Summer breeder
- Nesting season
- March–July
- Present roughly
- February–August
In Ontario, horned larks are present through the warm months, arriving around February and heading south again by August.
These windows are set by latitude: Ontario sits in the northern part of this species' range, so timing here runs later than the continental average — the season starts later this far north and the birds wait for it. In any given year, weather can move the first arrivals by a week or two either way.
Month by month in this state
Highlighted months are when horned larks are expected in Ontario. The edges of the window are the interesting weeks — first arrivals and last departures vary most from year to year.
Getting ready before they arrive
The week before February is the time to act. Have feeders cleaned, filled and out by early February — the first horned larks into Ontario are scouting for reliable food, and a station that's ready early gets added to their route.
Once nesting begins around March, adults switch to protein-rich food for their young and visits to feeders become quick and purposeful. Expect the busiest activity at dawn.
What horned larks eat while they're here
- Grasshoppers, beetles and caterpillars
The bird of bare fields, airports and roadsides; one of the earliest nesters, sometimes in February.
Full Horned Lark diet guide → · Best feeder for horned larks →
Native plants that hold horned larks in Ontario
Food keeps a migrant for a day; habitat keeps it for the season. These Ontario-native plants are known to attract horned larks:
Insects, seeds and cavities.
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Leave seed heads up through winter for goldfinches.
Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows.
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Native bunchgrass; winter seed and ground cover for sparrows and juncos.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked
When do horned larks arrive in Ontario?
horned larks typically arrive in Ontario around February, with nesting underway by March. Timing can shift a week or two with the weather in any given year.
When do horned larks leave Ontario?
Most horned larks have left Ontario by August. They spend the winter farther south and return the following spring.
Do horned larks stay in Ontario all year?
No — in Ontario the Horned Lark is a summer breeder, present roughly February–August. Outside that window it is rarely seen in the state.
What should I put out before horned larks arrive in Ontario?
Have feeders up and clean by early February — first arrivals scout reliable food sources. Good offerings for this species: grasshoppers, beetles and caterpillars.
Sources
- Horned Lark — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Horned Lark life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Horned Lark — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Ontario
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas — Birds Canada
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.