Devalerche
| Devalerche | ||||||||||||
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Devalerche |
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| Galerida deva | ||||||||||||
| ( Sykes , 1832) |
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The Devalerche ( Galerida deva ) is a species from the lark family. Their distribution area is in Southeast Asia. It is the smallest species of the genus Galerida that occurs on the Indian subcontinent.
The IUCN classifies the stock situation of the Devalerche as harmless ( least concern ).
features
The little sparrow large Devalerche is significantly smaller than a lark and recalls in habit to a lark .
The Devalerche reaches a body length of about 13 to 14 centimeters, of which 4.6 to 5 centimeters are on the tail. The beak length is 1.3 to 1.5 centimeters measured from the skull. There is no noticeable gender dimorphism .
The Devalerche has a yellow-brownish upper side of the body with a strong blackish dash. Sand-colored or gray-brown tones are missing in her plumage. The upper tail-coverts are uniformly reddish-brown and thus contrasted conspicuously against the dorsal plumage. The breast is light reddish brown and strongly speckled. The sixth (outermost) control spring is light reddish. The upper beak is horn-brown, the lower beak a little lighter. The feet are flesh-colored, the iris is hazel brown.
Possible confusion
In the distribution area of the Devalerche there are both a subspecies of the crested lark , the Malabar lark and the small skylark as well as the Jerdonlark . The Devalerche differs from all three species in its small body size.
Compared to the Malabar lark, the chest is less intensely dashed and the underside of the body is darker. From the small skylark, which belongs to the genus Alauda , the Devalerche differs mainly in the presence of a hood. The little skylark also has a more intensely dashed breast.
Distribution area and habitat
The Devalerche occurs in the northeast of the Indian subcontinent. In its area of distribution it is a resident bird with small seasonal migratory movements.
Their habitat is rocky desert-like hills and plains with few bushes. It also occurs on dry cultivated land that has little vegetation. Their height distribution reaches up to 1000 meters.
Way of life
The Devalerche feeds on the seeds of grass and herbs as well as arthropods . It is one of the species of lark that mimics the voices of numerous other bird species with its song.
Like all larks, the devalerche is also a ground breeder. The breeding season falls from March to September. She builds a typical bowl-shaped lark nest. The clutch consists of two to three eggs. Only in exceptional cases does it also include four eggs.
literature
- Rudolf Pätzold: The larks of the world . Westarp Sciences, Magdeburg 1994, ISBN 3-89432-422-8 .
- Rudolf Pätzold: Compendium of Larks. All the larks on earth. Jan-Schimkat-Medienpublikation, Dresden 2003, ISBN 3-00-011219-7 .
