The Horned Lark breeds throughout most of North America and Eurasia with additional populations in the north of South America, Morocco and the Arabian Peninsula. Populations from the extreme north of the range migrate southwards during the winter. See the distribution map at Birdlife International.

The distinctive "horns" are found in both sexes but are far more prominent in the males (photos 1 and 2) than in the females (photos 3 and 4). The males also have a pinkish-brown crown and nape while the females nape is faintly streaked. In most sub-species the face pattern is black and yellow though in some of the Asian sub-species the pattern is in black and white.