Desert Lark
Ammomanes deserti
Medium-sized lark of arid zones. Pale sandy overall with a strong yellowish-based bill and faint breast streaking. Differs from the similar Bar-tailed Lark by larger bill and broader diffuse dark tail band. Call is a soft “chup.” Song is a repeated phrase of flutey notes. Walks and runs on the ground, searching for small arthropods and plant material. Found in various desert habitats including sandy plains and rocky slopes.
Identification
The desert lark is a medium-sized, big-headed and long-billed lark, growing to a length of 16 to 17 cm (6.3 to 6.7 in). The sexes are alike, but there is considerable geographical variation. It has a rather dull plumage which can vary from quite pale to rather dark. Plumage may vary between subspecies but individuals within populations can be variable too. It is similar in appearance to the bar-tailed lark but is slightly larger, has a less-domed head, a larger broader beak, stouter legs and a longer tail. The upper parts of the many subspecies vary in colour; most are pale greyish brown, but some races are very washed out and others are quite a deep colour. Some have some rufous colour on wings and tail, similar to the bar-tailed lark, but the underparts are a pale pinkish grey and have much more streaking than that species, and the desert lark lacks the clearly defined terminal black band on the tail of that species, although it may have a rather diffuse dark patch. The colour variation seems to mainly match the habitat, so sandy-coloured birds are commoner in sandy areas, greyer birds in rocky areas and the darkest birds in desert dominated by basalt.<p>The song is a mournful choo-wee-chacha wooee, uttered from the ground or a boulder, or during undulating flight. It is more mellow and less squeaky than that of the bar-tailed lark. When flushed it utters a short churree or chee-lu.
Taxonomy
Originally, the desert lark was classified as belonging to the genus Alauda until moved to Ammomanes. Alternate names include desert finch lark and sand lark.<p>Twenty-two subspecies are recognized:
- Scientific name
- Ammomanes deserti
- Authority
- (Lichtenstein, MHC, 1823)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Alaudidae
- Genus
- Ammomanes
Range and habitat
The desert lark is found from Mauritania, Western Sahara and southern Morocco in the west east through northern Africa south to Chad and Somalia through south west Asia to western India.<p>It is resident (non-migratory) apart from local movements in arid stony areas, and avoids flat sand and will always be found in broken terrain with a vertical element to it
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The desert lark is not very sociable and does not form large flocks, being mainly encountered in small groups or as single birds. They are territorial when breeding, nesting on the ground under the shelter of a tussock or stone in a shallow scrape lined with plant material and having a rim of pebbles, which may surround the nest or be on the more exposed side of the nest. The clutch is 1-5 eggs and these are laid at different times in various parts of its range, e.g. January–February in the south and March–April in the north. The desert lark eats seeds and insects, the latter especially in the breeding season.
Conservation
- Population trend
- rising
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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