Horned Lark
Eremophila alpestris alpestris/praticola/hoyti (Linnaeus, 1758) (0, 3)
Photo © By Andrew Weitzel from Lancaster, PA, USA - Horned Lark, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87324776
Sub-species
STATUS
Northern Canada. There are forty-two sub-species in the IOC list.
OVERVIEW
A record from the Isles of Scilly in October 2001 has now pre-dated the other two British individuals.
It is believed to belong to the dark, eastern group of E. a. alpestris, E. a. hoyti, E. a. pratincola and E. a. giraudia, with the latter race ruled out.
BBRC RECORDS
1). 2001 Isles of Scilly Periglis, St Agnes, 2nd October; same, near Carn Near, Tresco, 9th October, photo; same, Porth Askin, St Agnes, 19th October; same, Beady Pool, St Agnes, 20th to 22nd October.
(B. Small, Birding World 15 (3): 111-120, photo; R. L. Flood, Isles of Scilly Bird and Natural History Review 2001: 84, plate 6; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 97; B. J. Small, British Birds 115: 487-499; C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 115: 586; BOURC (2022), Ibis 164: 929).
2). 2014 Outer Hebrides Askernish, South Uist, 1CY+, 9th to 11th October, photo.
(BOURC (2020), Ibis 162: 600; R. W. Forrester, Scottish Birds 40: 213; C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 619).
3.0). 2017 Surrey Queen Mary Reservoir, 1CY+, female, 12th November, photo.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 619).
3.1). 2017 Surrey Staines Reservoir, 1CY+, female, 19th November to 14th April 2018, photo, DNA analysis; presumed returning 2017 individual.
(British Birds 111: plates 34 & 114; C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 619).
