Lark turkey

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Lark turkey
Quail Plover, Poli, Cameroon (5891141663) .jpg

Lark turkey ( Ortyxelos meiffrenii )

Systematics
Class : Birds (aves)
Order : Plover-like (Charadriiformes)
Family : Rotary chicken (Turnicidae)
Genre : Ortyxelos
Type : Lark turkey
Scientific name of the  genus
Ortyxelos
Vieillot, 1825
Scientific name of the  species
Ortyxelos meiffrenii
( Vieillot , 1819)

The lark turkey ( Ortyxelos meiffrenii ) is a small species from the family of the run chicken (Turnicidae), which inhabits the Sahel zone in central Africa and is also found scattered in northern East Africa. It is the only species of the genus Ortyxelos that differs from the run chickens of the genus Turnix by longer and wider wings and the relatively long tail. Some authors question the assignment to the runners. The species is monotypical .

description

With a length of 10–13 cm, the lark chicken is only as big as a small songbird. The wing length is 72–76 mm in the male and 76–80 mm in the larger female. The tail is between 29 and 36 mm long. Weight data at 15.7–19.5 g are only available for the male. On the ground, the species constantly reminds a bit of a racing bird , in flight the black and white wing pattern is clearly noticeable. The flighty flight is reminiscent of larks of the genus Mirafra or a butterfly.

The upper side of adult males is predominantly reddish sand-colored, the underside cream-beige to whitish in color. The forehead, crown and neck are reddish brown with light feather edges. Reins, Supercilium and the cheeks are rahmfarben with gold beige tint. A reddish brown stripe runs from the eye over the sides of the neck. The ear covers are brownish in color. The feathers of the throat are white with golden beige tips. Towards the chest they become golden-brown and on the sides of the chest and upper flanks reddish-brown with black-edged, cream-colored spots. The reddish brown color runs out on the cream-colored belly and the white sides and under tail-covers. The feathers on the shoulders and back are reddish-brown, edged blackish and marked in the middle and have a wide, light beige border. The control feathers are reddish brown with light beige tip hems and dark subterminal markings. The outer ones show a light outer edge and the two outermost a dark subterminal field. The wings are predominantly black with whitish to beige ends. The small and medium arm covers are cream-colored and the large arm covers are white. The umbrella feathers are reddish brown with a light lace border and dark markings in the centers. The iris is pale to dark brown, the bill yellowish horn-colored to pale greenish and the legs and feet whitish flesh-colored to yellowish beige.

Females are overall lighter and tanned reddish brown on the breast. Birds in juvenile dress are more sandy-colored on top and more spotty than streaky. The wing pattern is more irregular.

voice

Few observations have been made about the vocal statements. A deep, soft whistle is described, but it lacks the penetrating quality of the calls of other runners.

Distribution and existence

The distribution of the lark turkey extends over large parts of the Sahel zone. It stretches from Senegambia and southern Mali eastward to northern Cameroon , southern Chad and Sudan . There are other scattered occurrences in East Africa; so in south-west Ethiopia , Uganda , in north and south-east Kenya and in north-east Tanzania . As an occasional guest, the species can be found on the Ivory Coast , Gambia and Togo .

The species is usually rare and only abundant locally, but is probably not threatened in the population. In some regions it was able to expand its area due to desertification and forest felling, elsewhere there were presumably long-term declines.

habitat

The lark chicken colonizes arid and semi-arid habitats, especially savannahs with a vegetation of acacias and grasses of the genus Chrysopogon . The grass cover should be at least 25%. In West Africa, the species prefers locally dry and sandy habitats with Cenchrus and Aristida species, but also occurs in more humid coastal steppes , thorn-bush savannahs or areas with sparse tree cover. The altitude distribution sometimes reaches up to 2000 m, but is usually below 1200 m.

Way of life

Little is known about the way of life of the lark chicken. It presumably feeds on grass seeds, termites, and other insects. In some areas the species seems to be a resident bird , in others it can only be found in the rainy or dry season. There are probably some migrations within the continent, but details are not known.

The breeding season is usually in the cooler phase of the dry season between September and March. The nest is a simple hollow in the ground, which is often located at the foot of a plant in otherwise sparsely vegetated areas and is lined with leaves and stalks. Sometimes it is also set in with small stones. The clutch consists of two oval eggs which are spotted black, brown and gray on a cream-colored background. They are only incubated by the male. This fact could indicate occasional polyandry , which, however, unlike other rabbits, has not been found in this species. Presumably she lives mostly monogamous .

literature

Web links

Commons : Lark Chicken ( Ortyxelos meiffrenii )  - Collection of images, videos and audio files