Zirplerche
| Zirplerche | ||||||||||||
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Zirplerchen, South Africa |
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| Chersomanes albofasciata | ||||||||||||
| ( Lafresnaye , 1836) |
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The Zirplerche ( Chersomanes albofasciata ) is a long- legged and short-tailed small species from the lark family that is between 15 and 20 percent smaller than a skylark. Their distribution area is the south of Africa. Several subspecies are distinguished.
The IUCN classifies the Zirplerche as safe ( least concern ).
features
The Zirplerche reaches a body length of 14 to 6 centimeters, of which 4.3 to 5.5 centimeters are on the tail. In relation to its size, it has a comparatively long, slightly curved beak. The beak length is 2.1 to 2.5 centimeters measured from the forehead spring base. It weighs between 19.5 and 34 grams. There is no noticeable gender dimorphism . The upright posture that this species of lark assumes is striking.
The vertex, the nape and the back of the neck are reddish-brown with a blackish vertical line, which is finest in the nape. The light brown sides of the neck have dark brown speckles, the front neck is whitish with also brown speckles. The stripe above the eyes is yellowish brown, a line of the same color runs from the beak to the lower edge of the eye. The ear covers are a little lighter than the rest of the head. The coat is brown with a reddish tinge and dark vertical lines. The individual back feathers have yellow-brown to whitish tips and dark centers. The upper tail-coverts are reddish brown and almost without any dashed lines.
The chin and throat are white, the rest of the underside of the body is cinnamon to light reddish brown. The individual individuals have a variable number of dark dashes, which, however, can also be completely absent in individual birds. The wings of the hand and arm are brown with narrow yellow-brown edges. The tail plumage is dark brown, with the exception of the middle pair of tail feathers, all tail feathers have white tips.
The beak is dark horn-colored, the iris is brown. The back toe has an elongated claw.
Distribution area, subspecies and habitat
The distribution area of the Zirplerche is the northeast of South Africa, the central area and the southwest of Angola, Namibia, the central area and the southwest of Botswana and South Africa, where it is only absent in the eastern part of the country. It is a resident bird in its range, which only roams around to a limited extent.
The individual subspecies occur in the following regions:
- C. a. obscurata - Hartert , 1907 : Occurrence in the southwest and in the central area of Angola.
- C. a. erikssoni - (Hartert, 1907) : Distribution in northern Namibia
- C. a. kalahariae - ( Ogilvie-Grant , 1912) : Originally described as an independent subspecies of the genus Certhilauda , this subspecies occurs from the south and west of Botswana to the north of South Africa.
- C. a. boweni - ( Meyer de Schauensee , 1931) : Distribution in the north-west of Namibia
- C. a. arenaria - ( Reichenow , 1904) : Occurrence from southern Namibia to the southwest of the South African Republic.
- C. a. barlowi - White, CMN , 1961 : Occurrence in the east of Botswana
- C. a. alticola - Roberts , 1932 : Distribution in the southwest of the South African Republic.
- C. a. albofasciata - ( Lafresnaye , 1836) : Occurrence from the southeast of Botswana to the central area of South Africa. Nominate form .
- C. a. garrula - ( Smith, A , 1846) : Originally described as a separate subspecies of the genus Certhilauda . Occurrence in the west of the South African Republic.
- C. a. macdonaldi - ( Winterbottom , 1958) : Occurrence in the south of the South African Republic.
The Beesleylerche was originally considered a subspecies of the Zirplerche, but is now classified as an independent species.
The habitat are grass steppes, which are only very isolated with bushes and on which trees are completely missing. It also occurs on overgrazed areas and in sparse semi-deserts with bushes as well as on the edge of desert areas. In contrast, it is absent in the Namib Desert .
Way of life
The Zirplerche eats insects and seeds. According to studies on Zirplerchen in Namibia, the Zirplerche covers 84% of its food needs with insects. Occasionally, it also eats green leaf material. The insects eaten include ants, termites and black beetles . Often they dig with their beak in white soil at the foot of plants. Little Zirplers stay mainly on the ground, even when singing, the male only rises up to two meters and then glides back to the ground with steeply set wings.
The breeding season in Namibia falls from February to April and August to October. In South Africa, on the other hand, it breeds from August to December; in other parts of the range, rainfall triggers the breeding instinct.
Like all larks, the Zirplerche is also a ground breeder. The nest is not vaulted and is usually sheltered by a stone, a mound or a tuft of grass. The clutch consists of two to three eggs with a fresh full weight of 2.35 grams. The eggs are whitish with brownish, yellowish and reddish spots. The incubation period is about 12 days. The nestlings are fed by both parent birds and leave the nest when they are 10 days old. You are then still unable to fly.
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 .
