Streaked Horned Lark

The streaked horned lark is no longer found in the San Juan Islands, a breeding range of this once common bird.

Rod Gilbert, South Sound Prairies

 

San Juan Island National Historical Park is within the historic breeding range of this once common bird, which is no longer present in the San Juan Islands.

Its extinction was caused by a variety of factors, including human activities, pesticides and herbicides, lack of protected habitat, and predation, and habitat loss or change (such as the takeover by invasive species of the native bunchgrass, where it built its nests).

The park has no current plans to reintroduce the lark, but if prairie restoration is successful, it could be a highly suitable site for reestablishing a breeding population.

Range-wide Streaked Horned Lark Assessment and Preliminary Conservation Strategy