Little skylark

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Little skylark
Little skylark, Taiwan

Little skylark, Taiwan

Systematics
Order : Passerines (Passeriformes)
Subordination : Songbirds (passeri)
Superfamily : Sylvioidea
Family : Larks (Alaudidae)
Genre : Alauda
Type : Little skylark
Scientific name
Alauda gulgula
Franklin , 1831
Little skylark, India

The little skylark ( Alauda gulgula ), also called the oriental skylark or Indian skylark , is a species from the lark family. It is closely related to the skylark . They are found in Asia and the Middle East. In the large distribution area, a total of 13 different subspecies are distinguished.

The IUCN classifies the population situation of the Lesser Skylark as harmless ( least concern ).

features

The small skylark reaches a body length of 14 to 17 centimeters. The tail accounts for 4.8 to 6.8 centimeters. The wingspan is 26 to 30 centimeters. It weighs between 24 and 33 grams. There is no noticeable gender dimorphism .

The Little Skylark is very difficult with field observations from occurring in Eurasia Skylark to distinguish. Basically, the small skylark is usually a little darker and its plumage is a little more rust-colored than the skylark that also occurs in Central Europe .

The basic color of the top is beige to reddish brown. The top of the head and back, including the rump, are finely striped lengthways and dotted with black-brown lines. The upper breast and the flanks are clearly dark, longitudinally streaked and dashed on a yellowish white or light brownish background, the rest of the belly and the flanks are white.

The wings are dark gray-brown, the inner hand wings and the arm wings have a narrow matt rust beige end band. The tail is gray-brown, the outer flag of the outermost (sixth) control spring is almost completely sand-colored.

The lark-typical song, consisting of sustained melodic trills, in which numerous other bird calls are imitated, is performed from the ground or in flight.

Distribution area and habitat

Distribution area of ​​the Lesser Skylark

The Lesser Skylark occurs in southeastern Iran, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, northwest and east China, Pakistan, the entire Indian subcontinent , Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and the Philippines . Occasionally it has also been found in Iraq and Saudi Arabia. As a random visitor , she was also found in Kuwait , Egypt and the Caucasus .

Reproduction

The nest is hidden on the ground. It consists of a self-scratched, up to 7 cm deep hollow that is lined with fine vegetable material. The eggs are laid between March and August.

The clutch consists of three to four eggs that are dense gray to brownish spots on a whitish to light brownish background. The exact breeding season is not known, but it probably lasts eleven to twelve days, as with the skylark. Incubation takes place exclusively by the female, but then fed by both parents.

Subspecies

Little skylark, India
Little skylark, India

There are 13 subspecies:

  • A. g. lhamarum - Meinertzhagen, R & Meinertzhagen, A , 1926 : Pamir Mountains and Western Himalayas
  • A. g. inopinata - Bianchi , 1905 >: Northwest China and the Tibetan high plateau
  • A. g. vernayi - Mayr , 1941 : East Himalayas and Southwest China
  • A. g. inconspicua - Severtsov , 1873 : south of Kazakhstan to east of Iran, Pakistan and north-west India.
  • A. g. gulgula - Franklin , 1831 : North and Central India, Sri Lanka and East and North Indochina
  • A. g. dharmakumarsinhjii - Abdulali , 1976 : West and Central Area of India
  • A. g. australis - Brooks, WE , 1873 : Southwest India
  • A. g. weigoldi - Hartert , 1922 : Middle to East China
  • A. g. coelivox - Swinhoe , 1859 : South and Southeast China and Vietnam
  • A. g. sala - Swinhoe, 1870 : originally described as a separate species. On the Hainan Islands off the southeast coast of China
  • A. g. herberti - Hartert, 1923 : Middle to Southeast of Thailand and the South of Vietnam
  • A. g. wattersi - Swinhoe, 1871 : Taiwan
  • A. g. wolfei - Hachisuka , 1930 : on the Philippine island of Luzon

literature

  • Rudolf Pätzold: The larks of the world . Westart Sciences, Magdeburg 1994, ISBN 3-89432-422-8 .

Web links

Commons : Little Skylark  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Single receipts

  1. ↑ Alauda gulgula in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016.1. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2016. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
  2. ^ R. Pätzold: The larks of the world . P. 212.
  3. ↑ a b R. Pätzold: The larks of the world . P. 214.
  4. ^ R. Pätzold: The larks of the world . P. 213.
  5. ^ R. Pätzold: The larks of the world . P. 215.
  6. ^ IOC World Bird List 6.4 . In: IOC World Bird List Datasets . September. doi : 10.14344 / ioc.ml.6.4 .