The Black-eared Sparrow-Lark lives in dry grasslands of southern Africa and may move after good rains.
The male is mostly black below, with chestnut-speckled upperparts. The female is reddish brown above and streaked below.
It is nomadic and can form large irruptions after good rains. It forages on the ground for seeds and insects.
In southern Namibia it builds a cup nest on the ground from grass inflorescences, sometimes adding fine twigs and roots.
In southern Namibia, it surrounds the nest cup with twigs and rootlets covered in sand-encrusted spider silk.
On a farm in southern Namibia in April–July 2020, 65% of 20 nests were associated with drainage lines.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.