Spizocorys

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Spizocorys
Systematics
Order : Passerines (Passeriformes)
Subordination : Songbirds (passeri)
without rank: Passerida
Superfamily : Sylvioidea
Family : Larks (Alaudidae)
Genre : Spizocorys
Scientific name
Spizocorys
Sundevall , 1872
Distribution map of the genus Spizocorys
Bearded Lark , Tanzania , Serengeti

Spizocorys is a genus of larks . A German name has not yet been used for this genus. Seven species are assigned to this genus. While most species of this genus are classified by the IUCN as not endangered ( least concern ), the finch lark is endangered as endangered .

features

The species of the genus Spizocorys are small larks whose habitus is between Alauda and Calandrella . The plumage is strongly dashed in all species. The beak of all species is finch-like and shorter than the middle toe with its claw. In contrast to the genera Mirafra , Pinarocorys , Certhilauda and Alaemon , the nostrils are covered with small feathers.

The wings of the species are comparatively long, when the wings are put on the tip almost reaches the tip of the tail. The longest of the arm wings are so long that they almost reach the wingtip.

Outside the breeding season, the species of the genus are gregarious and occur in larger flocks.

Species and their respective distribution area

There are seven types;

  • Rotschnabellerche ( Spizocorys conirostris )
    • S. c. makawai (Traylor, 1962) - West of Zambia.
    • S. c. harti (Benson, 1964) - southwest of Zambia.
    • S. c. damarensis (Roberts, 1922) - north of Namibia and north-west of Botswana.
    • S. c. crypt (Irwin, 1957) - northeast of Botswana
    • S. c. barlowi (Roberts, 1942) - south of Namibia, south of Botswana and north cost of the South African Republic.
    • S. c. conirostris (Sundevall, 1850) - South African Republic and northwest Lesotho.
  • Finch Lark ( Spizocorys fringillaris ). No subspecies. The range is smaller than 43,000 square kilometers and is located in the south of Mpumalanga and in the east of the Freestate province .
  • Obbial Lark ( Spizocorys obbiensis ). No subspecies. The obbial lark is a habitat specialist that only occurs in a strip 2.5 kilometers wide and 570 kilometers long along the Somali coast. The distribution area is between Hobyo in the north and Mogadishu in the south.
  • Masked Lark ( Spizocorys personata )
    • S. p. personata - Sharpe , 1895 : Occurrence in eastern Ethiopia
    • S. p. yavelloensis - ( Benson , 1947) : Occurrence from southern Ethiopia to northern Kenya.
    • S. p. mcchesneyi - ( Williams, JG , 1957) : Occurrence on the high plateau of Marsabit County in northern Kenya.
    • S. p. intensa - ( Rothschild , 1931) : Occurrence in the central area of ​​Kenya
  • Blackbird ( Spizocorys sclateri ). No subspecies. The distribution area of ​​the Ammernlerche is the south of Namibia. However, it is missing here in the coastal region. It also occurs in the northwest of the Cape Province.
  • Falblerche ( Spizocorys starki , synonym Eremalauda starki ). No subspecies. The distribution area of ​​the Falblerche extends from southwestern Angola in a southerly direction via Namibia and the southwest of Botswana to the South African Republic.
  • Bartlerche ( Spizocorys foreignantlii , synonym Pseudalaemon foreignantlii )
    • S. f. Fremantlii - ( Lort Phillips , 1897) : nominate form , occurs from southeast Ethiopia to Somalia.
    • S. f. megaensis - ( Benson , 1946) : Occurrence in southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya.
    • S. f. delamerei - ( Sharpe , 1900) :

Originally described as a separate species, this subspecies occurs in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania.

Way of life

Like all larks, the Spizocorys are ground breeders. The nest is each of a typical lark shape. It is not covered with grass or the like. The diet consists of insects and seeds.

literature

Web links

Commons : Spizocorys  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Single receipts

  1. ↑ Spizocorys fringillaris in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2016 Posted by: BirdLife International, 2016. Accessed March 12, 2017th
  2. ^ Pätzold: Compendium of Larks . P. 283.