Lark Sparrow
Chondestes
grammacus
Fairly common in grassy habitats of eastern Kittitas County at low to moderate elevations. Preferred habitat degraded shrub-steppe dominated by non-native grasses such as cheatgrass, often with exposed basalt ledge. Most records occurred in core, low-lying habitat along Columbia River, but species also utilizes higher, open agricultural habitats adjacent to degraded shrub-steppe. Records in these areas, some of which extend west of Yakima River, apparently represent occurrences in habitat peripheral to predicted core range as mapped by Washington Gap report (Smith et al. 1997).
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