Horned lark
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Horned Lark ( Eremophila bilopha ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Eremophila bilopha | ||||||||||||
| ( Temminck , 1823) |
The horned lark ( Eremophila bilopha ) is a species from the lark family. It is closely related to the ear lark . Their distribution area is in northern Africa and the Middle East.
The IUCN classifies the stock situation of the horned lark as harmless ( least concern ).
features
The horned lark reaches a body length of 13 to 15 centimeters. The tail accounts for 6.2 to 6.9 centimeters. The wingspan is 26 to 31 centimeters. It weighs between 22.8 and 38.4 grams. There is no noticeable gender dimorphism .
The horned lark is significantly smaller in comparison to the eared lark and has an almost monochrome brownish-red upper side of the body. The forehead and chin are white. A black band runs on the forehead, which merges into pointed black feather squirrels on the sides, which protrude slightly over the back of the head. These spring squirrels are a little longer than the ear lark. The beak is horn-colored and becomes blackish at the tip. The feet are brown-black. The iris is brown.
Fledglings have a light, sandy-colored body plumage without striking white feather tips. The underside of the body is cream-colored without any distinctive stains. The feet and legs of young birds are still brown.
The typical lark song, which consists of chirping and gurgling tones, is performed from the ground or in flight. When singing, they sing their song when they are 10 to 50 meters above the ground.
Distribution area and habitat
The horned lark occurs in the Western Sahara, in the south and north-east of Morocco, in the north of Algeria, in Tunisia, in the north of Libya and Egypt as well as in the north of the Arabian Peninsula to the east of Syria and the west of Iraq.
The habitat are stony and sandy deserts. Horned larks are particularly common in areas with very little vegetation. It also populates dry salt lakes with sparse vegetation. Horned larks like to stand on stones or sand hills.
food
Horned larks mainly eat insects and other anthropoids during the summer months. In winter they also eat seeds from the desert plants in their habitat.
Reproduction
The horned lark is a ground breeder. Their nest is a typical corpse nest, which is padded with seed wool, animal hair and occasionally with a few feathers. The horned lark breeds in Morocco from mid-February to April. In Algeria, however, it broods from April to May.
Both parent birds feed the young birds. The young birds stay in the nest for eight to ten days.
literature
- Rudolf Pätzold: The larks of the world . Westart Sciences, Magdeburg 1994, ISBN 3-89432-422-8 .
Web links
- Eremophila bilopha inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016.1. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- Videos, photos and sound recordings on Eremophila bilopha in the Internet Bird Collection
Single receipts
- ↑ Eremophila bilopha in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016.1. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ↑ Pätzold: The larks of the world . P. 219.
- ↑ a b Pätzold: The larks of the world . P. 220.
- ↑ a b Pätzold: The larks of the world . P. 221.