Allodola passerina dal dorso castano

Identificazione

This is a small lark at 11 cm. The male is striking, with solid black underparts and head apart from brilliant white patches on the nape and behind the eyes. The upperparts and wings are chestnut with some dark streaking. The thick bill is grey.<p>The female chestnut-backed sparrow-lark is a drabber bird with heavily streaked buff-white underparts and head, and a white nape collar. The upperparts are chestnut with mottling. Young birds are like the female.

Tassonomia

The chestnut-backed sparrow-lark was originally placed in the genus Loxia. It was later moved to the Lark family Alaudidae under the genus Eremopterix which includes all other sparrow-lark species. Alternate names for this species include: chestnut-backed finch-lark and white-cheeked sparrow-lark.<p>Five subspecies are recognized:

Nome scientifico

Eremopterix leucotis

Autorità

(Stanley, 1814)

Ordine

Passeriformi

Famiglia

Alaudidae

Genere

Eremopterix

Areale e habitat

This lark is a bird of open dry habitats such as open grassland and arid savanna, preferring recently burned turf, open fields, and gravel plains. They shuffle along in bare patches foraging for seeds and insects. They are both resident and nomadic, although movements are poorly understood. It is often found in mixed flocks with chestnut-headed sparrow-lark where their ranges overlap in NE Africa.<p>Geographic range:<p>•Eremopterix leucotis: South Sudan to Ethiopia, Eritrea, and northwestern Somalia

Migrazione

Nomadic movement

Comportamento

It nests on the ground and lays one egg. Its food is insects and seeds.

Conservazione

Tendenza della popolazione

stable