Melodious Lark
Mirafra cheniana
A small, compact lark with a small bill and a bold facial pattern with a distinct eyebrow. It has streaky upperparts with a distinct rufous wing panel and a lightly streaked buffy chest that separates the white throat from the creamy-buff belly. Pairs prefer lush grassland with vegetation shorter than 50 centimeters tall and with open spaces between the tussocks. From September to March, breeding males undertake lengthy aerial displays lasting 30-40 minutes, hanging still in the air before dropping and dangling stationary again, singing all the while. The song is made up of melodious whistles and trills, and buzzy notes, sometimes organized into series or repeating phrases, and incorporating a phenomenal repertoire of imitations of other birds. The similar Monotonous Lark is larger than the Latakoo Lark, with a plainer facial pattern, a less distinct eyebrow, and a different song and display.
分类信息
The alternate name of singing bush lark usually refers to the species of that name, Mirafra cantillans. Other alternate names for the melodious lark include: Latakoo lark, Latakoo bush lark, melodious bushlark, singing bush lark, Southern lark, Southern singing bush lark and Southern singing lark.
- 学名
- Mirafra cheniana
- 命名信息
- Smith, A, 1843
- 目
- Passeriformes
- 科
- Alaudidae
- 属
- Mirafra
分布与栖息地
The melodious lark has a probable maximum range of 110,400 square kilometres (42,600 sq mi), separated into many disjunct populations located in South Africa (Eastern Cape, the Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and North West Province), Botswana and Zimbabwe. At times, local populations will abandon one area for another when the regular dry-season fires occur.<p>The natural habitat of the melodious lark is subtropical or tropical, seasonally wet or flooded, lowland grassland. Within these regions, it prefers the drier slopes, especially in open runs between grassy tussocks.<p>Melodious larks select different textures of grass or grass parts to build their domed, obliquely-accessed nests. They use the harder and more fibrous grasses and stalks for an outer thatch, while the finer and softer grasses or grass leaves are used to line the nest's interior.
- 迁徙
- Resident species
行为
The melodious lark is assessed as likely to be both territorial and monogamous, and lays a clutch of 2-4 eggs. It is generally resident, breeding from September to March. The level of breeding activity varies depending on locality. The most active period in South Africa is between November and January, while in Zimbabwe it is from January to March.<p>The melodious lark forages on the ground for food, eating mostly grass seeds supplemented with insects.
保护状况
- 种群趋势
- declining
照片
分布
鸟叫声
其他鸟类
Makira Starling
Aplonis dichroa
A rather small, entirely dark starling with a glossy-blue sheen to the head and a more purple sheen elsewhere. Wings and tail are a dull matte earth-brown. Eye is dark. Prefers forest and forest edge, more common inland. Common calls include a long rising whistle, high-pitched squeaks and clicks, and melodic chattering.
White-bellied Emerald
Chlorestes candida
Small and rather plain hummingbird of tropical lowland forest and edge. Feeds low to high, often at edges and out in clearings. Both sexes look ‘female-plumaged,’ with green upperparts, white underparts; reddish color on base of bill can be difficult to see. Tail drab greenish with faint dusky band near tip. Lacks bold white tail corners of other small hummingbirds, such as female Ruby-throated.
African Stonechat
Saxicola torquatus
Small, chunky robin-like bird. Males are black and white, with a variable amount of rufous on the underparts. Ethiopian population has a black chest and no red. Females are dark brown on the back and pale below. Both sexes show a variable white wing patch. Found in a wide variety of open habitats, including grassland, heath, marsh, and scrub. Perches up conspicuously. Song is a quick jumbled mix of musical and raspy notes. Similar to the migratory Whinchat, but lacks conspicuous white eye-stripe, and shows white on the rump rather than the base of the tail.
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