Thick-billed Lark
Ramphocoris clotbey
Unmistakable large lark with a huge pale bill, dark-speckled cheek and breast, round cheek spot, and prominent white areas on the wing in flight. Males have more contrasting plumage than females. Favors flat arid deserts (stony and sandy deserts). Gives a plaintive, rising “weeet.”
Taxonomy
It was named after Antoine Clot. It was originally described as belonging to the genus Melanocorypha and is now placed in the monotypic genus Ramphocoris.
- Scientific name
- Ramphocoris clotbey
- Authority
- (Bonaparte, 1850)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Genus
- Ramphocoris
Range and habitat
It is found in northern Africa from Mauritania and Morocco to Libya, also in central regions of the Arabian Peninsula. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and hot deserts.
- Migration
- Nomadic movement
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Brown-eared Bulbul
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A large grayish songbird that shows considerable plumage variation throughout its range. Regularly found flocking in forested habitats as well as more open environments such as farmland and cities, where its loud vocalizations, long tail, and undulating flight make it conspicuous and distinctive. The Taiwan subspecies (harteri) is gray above, pale below, with chestnut extending from cheek to underparts, where it extends down the belly in streaks. Varied calls are loud and shrill.
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