Meet the Male Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark
#intothewildwithrufus #birding
We spotted this male Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark today at Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary. It is endemic to the Indian subcontinent, and inhabits Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka as well.
It has the build of a sparrow and the dramatic aerial acrobatics of a lark.
It is frequently found foraging on the ground in open scrublands, grasslands, and bare uncultivated fields.
The male is characterised by a sandy brown back and a pale, ashy-colored crown. This top colouring contrasts sharply with its bold black belly, chin, lower lores, and a distinct black eye stripe.
It is a small bird – just about the size of a sparrow, distinguished by a stout, finch-like bill and noticeably short legs.
The female Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Larks, on the other hand, completely lack these dramatic black-and-white facial patterns and black bellies. Instead, they are a pale sandy brown and closely resemble female house sparrows.
Three unique characteristics set them apart –
The first is the male’s breeding display – that we saw today! 😊
Rather than just singing from a perch, the male puts on a highly energetic show. He soars up into the air and then suddenly folds his wings, going into a steep, dive-bombing drop. And even as he plummets, he lets out a long, descending whistle. Just before hitting the ground, he pulls up into a glide, emitting a sharp “chilp” note at the peak of his rise before diving again. The result is a rollercoaster flight that makes them incredibly easy to locate during the breeding season.
Secondly, and strangely at that, they never perch in a tree or a bush. They spend almost all their time running along the bare ground foraging for seeds and insects.
Thirdly, even their nesting and roosting habits are entirely ground-based. They roost at night in tiny depressions they scrape into the soil. Their nests are built under grass tufts, and they often decorate the edges of the nest with small pebbles.
Watching this tiny lark’s rollercoaster was one of the highlights of our time at Point Calimere! 😊
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