The black-crowned sparrow-lark feeds mainly on the seeds of grasses and other plants, but will also take insects and other invertebrates. The chicks are fed predominantly on a diet of insects. Most foraging takes place in the early morning and evening, and food is usually taken from the ground, although insects are sometimes caught in the air (2). In the heat of the day, the black-crowned sparrow-lark reduces water loss by seeking shade, and has even been known to shelter inside the burrows of large lizards (2) (4). It will also attempt to lose heat by flying with the legs dangling, or by perching facing into the wind, with the wings drooped (2).
Outside of the breeding season, the black-crowned sparrow-lark may forage in flocks of up to 50 individuals, although flocks of several thousand also sometimes occur. During the breeding season, the male performs aerial displays over the breeding territory, rising steeply from the ground before circling and calling, then descending in a series of shallow swoops. Both members of a breeding pair will sometimes display together, the male chasing the female in a twisting, low flight. In addition to the tchip or cherp calls given by both sexes, the male has a rather variable song, typically consisting of a short series of simple, sweet notes, given during the flight display or from a low vantage point (2).
The black-crowned sparrow-lark usually breeds during the summer months, although breeding is often associated with rainfall and can occur at almost any time when conditions are favourable. The female builds the nest, which consists of a shallow depression lined with twigs, grass stems, leaves and other material, with the rim often decorated with small stones or lumps of earth. The nest is usually located at the base of a shrub or a grass tuft, in a shaded position. Both the male and female incubate the 2 to 3 eggs, which hatch after around 11 to 12 days. The chicks start to leave the nest for short periods when just six days old, long before they are able to fly, and usually leave it entirely at eight days old. Within a day of the young leaving the nest, each adult takes sole responsibility for one chick, and the chicks separate, possibly to reduce the risk of predation. When three eggs have hatched, the third chick does not often survive. The young black-crowned sparrow-larks are able to fly after around 21 or 22 days and reach maturity at about a year old (2).