Rust lark
| Rust lark | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Mirafra rufa | ||||||||||||
| Lynes , 1920 |
The rustling lark ( Mirafra rufa ) is a species from the lark family. It is a species that is widespread in the north of the African continent. It is significantly smaller than a skylark and its habitus is similar to a pipit . There are several subspecies.
The stock situation of the rustling lark is classified as harmless ( least concern ).
features
The rust lark reaches a body length of 14 centimeters, of which 5.3 to 6.4 centimeters are on the tail. The beak has a length of 1.5 to 1.6 centimeters measured from the skull. There is no noticeable gender dimorphism .
There are two color morphs in the nominate form of the rust lark , which differ in the intensity of the dotted lines on the upper side of the body. One is predominantly reddish in color with only narrow blackish shaft stripes. The upper tail coverts are reddish in color. The second color morph shows strong lines on the shaft, which can also be found on the upper tail. In both morphs, the cheeks and the ear covers are brown, the stripe above the eyes is dull yellow-brown. The chin and throat are isabel-colored, the chest has a slightly reddish tone and is brownish to reddish-brown streaked. The underside of the body is otherwise isabel colored. The middle pair of control springs is cinnamon-brown with dark shafts, the adjacent control springs are brown-black with cinnamon-brown outer flags. The third to fifth control spring is brown-black, the sixth (outermost) control spring is also brown-black, but has yellow to cinnamon-brown hems on the outer flags and a yellow to cinnamon-brown tip. The upper beak is dark horn-colored, the lower beak, however, clearly lighter.
Possible confusion
There are in the circulation area of the grate Lerche with the tree Klapper lark , Kordofanlerche and Einödlerche several Lerch species before, with which it can be confused.
The rustling lark differs from the tree rattle lark by its predominantly brown-black outer control feather, which is only lined with a narrow yellow-brown. The kordofanlark has a white component in the control feathers, which is absent in the rustlark, the kordofanlark is also whitish on the underside of the body and is lighter in overall appearance than the rustlark. The solitary lark has chest plumage almost entirely without dashes and is also lighter on the underside of the body than the rusty lark.
Subspecies and their distribution areas
There are three subspecies for the steppe lark:
- M. r. nigriticola - Bates , 1932 : Occurrence from Mali to Niger
- M. r. rufa - Lynes , 1920 : Occurrence in Chad and western Sudan.
- M. r. lynesi - Grant, CHB & Mackworth-Praed , 1933 : Occurrence in the central area of Sudan
The rustling lark is a stationary and line bird in its entire range .
habitat
The rust lark is preferred in savannahs. It also inhabits rocky open hill country, which is covered with scrub and black rock. It also occurs in regions that are sparsely populated with plants from the genus of long filaments .
Way of life
The rust lark eats arthropods and various seeds. Little is known about the reproductive biology of this species, nor is there a description of the voice.
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 .
Web links
Single receipts
- ^ Pätzold: Compendium of Larks . P. 111.
- ↑ Pätzold: The larks of the world . P. 72.
- ^ Pätzold: Compendium of Larks . P. 109.
- ^ IOC World Bird List 6.4 . In: IOC World Bird List Datasets . September. doi : 10.14344 / ioc.ml.6.4 .
- ↑ a b Pätzold: Compendium of Larks . P. 110.