Bimaculated Lark
A species of Black and Black-necked Larks Scientific name : Melanocorypha bimaculata Genus : Black and Black-necked Larks
Bimaculated Lark, A species of Black and Black-necked Larks
Botanical name: Melanocorypha bimaculata
Genus: Black and Black-necked Larks
Content
Description General Info
Photo By Ashwin Viswanathan
Description
This is a large, robust lark, 16–18 cm in length. It is an undistinguished looking species on the ground, mainly streaked grey above and white below, and with two small black patches on the breast sides, which give this species its name. It has a white supercilium. In flight it shows short broad wings, which are grey-brown below, and a short tail with a white tip, but not white edges. The wing and tail patterns are distinctions from its more westerly relative. The song is like a harder version of that of calandra lark.
Size
18 cm
Feeding Habits
Bimaculated Lark primarily consumes invertebrates, like orthopterans and termites, and seeds from plants such as Sorghum. Foraging occurs on the ground, either alone or in groups. During breeding, adults and nestlings mainly eat invertebrates.
Habitat
The bimaculated Lark is typically found in open habitats characterized by stony, sparse grassland areas. These birds prefer lower vegetation regions and often nest in more mountainous or hilly terrains. During breeding seasons, they may coexist with similar species in flat, arid, grassy plains across broader geographical regions.
Dite type
Granivorous
General Info
Distribution Area
The bimaculated lark is found from west-central Turkey to southern Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, north-eastern Iran and northern Afghanistan. It is also found in northern Israel, Lebanon, western Syria and northern Iraq. It is mainly migratory, wintering in northeast Africa, and ranges widely throughout the greater Middle East to Pakistan, India and Tibet. It is a very rare vagrant to western Europe. This is a bird of stony semi-desert and higher altitude cultivation. Its nest is on the ground, with 3-4 eggs being laid. Food is seeds and insects, the latter especially in the breeding season. It is gregarious in winter.
Photo By Ashwin Viswanathan