The following pages have some identification markers for

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• The following pages have some identification markers for each of the Larks found in India

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Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark Identification Tips - Male

Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark: Eremopterix griseus: Wide spread Resident in India

Pale greyish-brown forehead and crown. Crown indistinctly streaked

Black lores and eye band

Greyish-brown /pale buffish ear-coverts

Upperparts grey-brown, lightly streaked

Throat, neck side and underparts Black

Grey Bill

Pinkish Legs

©www.ogaclicks.com Reference : www.HBW.com

Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark Identification Tips - Female

Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark: Eremopterix griseus: Wide spread Resident in India

Buffish Supercilium

Brown ear-coverts, ale crescent behind it

Upperparts grey-brown, lightly streaked

Breast indistinctly streaked

Grey Bill

Pinkish Legs


Asian Shot-toed Lark Identification Tips

Asian Shot-toed Lark : Calandrella cheleensis persica : Wintor Visitor to West India

Whitish narrow supercilium and wide eyering

Long primary projection

Upperparts grey-brown, broader dark streaks

Short tail

Bill horn-grey, darker on culmen, base of lower mandible yellowish

Legs brownish-flesh / yellowish-brown


Crown with prominent fine blackish streaks. Can be erected

Breast and sides washed light cinnamon-rufous. Finely and densely streaked dark, up to flanks

Underparts are white

Bengal Bushlark Identification Tips

Bengal Bushlark : Mirafra assamica : Resident of Plains and Plateau of North India to East India ( Bihar, Bengal & Assam)

Buffish supercilium

Rufous Wing panel

Short tail

Bill dark grey above and pinkish below

Legs are Pink


Crown, mantle and scapulars with moderately distinct dark streaks

Breast has heavy dark streaks

Underparts are rufous-buff

Bimaculated Lark Identification Tips

Bimaculated Lark: Melanocorypha bimaculata: Winter visitor to North and North West India

Prominent whitish supercilium

Short tail

Bill yellowish /pinkish, dark culmen and tip of lower mandible

Legs are pinkish to yellowish


Dark loral stripe

Breast has fine dark streaks


Rufous-tinged ear-coverts

Upper parts are buffy grey-brown /rufescent grey-brown, heavily streaked with black streaks

Prominent blackish patch on side of lower neck/upper breast (They often meeting thinly in centre)

Important Id point Tail tip white

Bimaculated Lark Identification Tips – Rufous Morph

Bimaculated Lark: Melanocorypha bimaculata: Winter visitor to North and North West India

Prominent whitish supercilium

Short tail

Bill yellowish /pinkish, dark culmen and tip of lower mandible

Legs are pinkish to yellowish


Dark loral stripe

Breast has fine dark streaks, Is Rufous


Rufous-tinged ear-coverts

Upper parts are buffy grey-brown /rufescent grey-brown, heavily streaked with black streaks

Prominent blackish patch on side of lower neck/upper breast (They often meeting thinly in centre)

Important Id point

Flanks are Rufous

Black-crowned Sparrow lark Identification Tips - Male

Black-crowned Sparrow lark: Eremopterix nigericeps : Resident of North West India

Black-and-white head pattern

Bill is bluish-white

Legs are pale flesh


Chin and entire underparts black

White Thighs

Narrow white stripe down side of breast

Upperparts sandy-brown with reddish tinge

Black-crowned Sparrow lark Identification Tips - Female

Black-crowned Sparrow lark: Eremopterix nigericeps : Resident of North West India

Underparts are White

Upperparts grey-rufous, lightly streaked

Breast is brownish with variable streaking

Bill duller horny steel-grey

Pinkish Legs


Crested Lark Identification Tips

Crested Lark : Galerida cristata chendoola : Resident of North , Gujarat and North West India

Upperparts buffish grey-brown, heavily streaked dark brown

Buff on breast side with broad blackish spot-like streaks

Bill dark horn above, pale yellow-flesh below

Legs are pale flesh coloured


Buff-white supercilium and eyering

Dark eyestripe

Dark Moustachial Stripe

Dark malar stripe

Buff on flanks with narrow and more diffuse streaks

Prominent long, spiky crest,

Desert Lark Identification Tips

Desert Lark : Ammomanes deserti phoenicuroides : Resident of North , Gujarat and North West India

Rufous-tinged tail feathers becoming blackish-centred towards tips, forming diffuse, triangular-shaped terminal band

Chest with diffuse streaking

Bill pale brown / yellowish, darker grey-horn culmen and tip

Legs dull flesh to greyish / yellowish-brown, duller on toes

©www.ogaclicks.com Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent Inskipp and Grimmett

Buff supercilium, faint pale eyering

Faint dark loral stripe

Throat whitish

Faint malar stripe

Underparts buffish

Upper parts are Plain. dark grey-brown to Isabelline-brown

Eurasian Skylark Identification Tips

Eurasian Skylark : Alauda arvensis dulcivox : Winters in North West India

Upperparts olive-brown / brownish-rufous with heavy blackish streaks Breast washed light

rufous-buff and heavily streaked blackish

Bill pale horn

Legs are pale yellowish-brown / flesh-coloured


Whitish supercilium and eyering

Dark ear-coverts Thin dark moustachial stripe

Thin dark malar stripe

Flanks with narrower streaks

Short erectile crest

Greater Hoopoe Lark Identification Tips

Greater Hoopoe Lark : Alaemon alaudipes doriae : Resident of North West India

Upperparts are sandy or buffy brown

Breast is creamy, blotched with small blackish spots

Bill dark grey. thin and decurved bill with very pointed mandibles

Legs are pale grey


Creamy supercilium

Long and narrow dark eyestripe Blackish moustachial stripe


Well-marked head pattern

Greater Short-toed Lark Identification Tips

Greater Short-toed Lark : Callendralla brachydactyla longipennis : Winter visitor to North West India

Upperparts are warm brown to grey-brown and heavy black streaks

Breast is with faint buff tinge and fine dark streaks

Bill is pale horn-coloured, darker culmen and tip, yellowish on mandible

Legs are pale brownish flesh to light brown


Broad whitish supercilium Head is densely streaked and rufous-tinged, with erectile feathers

Throat is White


Grey-brown cheeks

Tail blackish brown, centre brown, white outer feathers

Horned Lark Identification Tips

Horned Lark : Eremophila alpestris longirostris : Resident of Ladhak in India

Upperparts are sandy

Bill is dark Grey to Black

Legs are black

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Broad whitish supercilium

Elongated lateral crown feathers like Horns

black of cheek band and chest separated by white lower neck side


Grey-brown cheeks

Tail blackish

flank washed pinkish-rufous

Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent Inskipp and Grimmett

Hume's Short-toed Lark Identification Tips

Hume's Short-toed Lark : Calandrella acutirostris tibetana : Winters in North subcontinent eastwards to Sikkim and North East India

Upperparts are grey-brown and heavily streaked dark

Bill is pale brownish-yellow or greyish-yellow, culmen and tip of lower mandible dark grey

Legs are pinkish to brownish

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White supercilium Crown slightly rufous-tinged and faintly dark-streaked Distinct dark loral stripe


Tail Blackish -brown

breast washed buffish to more brown-grey

Small blackish patch on side of lower neck/upper breast

Reference : www.HBW.com

Indian Bushlark Identification Tips

Indian Bushlark : Mirafra erythroptera: Widespread resident in India from Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat eastwards to Odisha, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Southwards to South Karnataka

Extensive Rufous on wings

Bill is pinkish, grey culmen

Legs are pinkish

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Whitish or pale buffish supercilium

crown, nape and upperparts rufescent grey-brown, heavily streaked

Underparts are White Tail is black

Breast with large blackish-brown spots

Prominent spotting on ear coverts , pronounced dark border to ear coverts


Upperparts are heavily streaked and warmer Sandy-buff to rufous -buff

Jerdon's Bushlark Identification Tips

Jerdon's Bushlark : Mirafra affinis : Resident of South East & South India


Larger bill, upper mandible mostly dark grey, lower mandible mostly pinkish

Legs are pinkish

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Narrow supercilium, buffish in front of eye, paler buffish or whitish above and behind eye

Crown, nape and mantle rufescent grey-brown, heavily streaked

Underparts are Buffish

Tail is short

Breast with heavy blackish spots

Ear-coverts are pale grey-brown with dark rear border formed by streaks


Whitish band on side of nape/rearmost ear-coverts


Jerdon's Bushlark Identification Tips

Jerdon's Bushlark : Mirafra affinis : Resident of South East & South India


Larger bill, upper mandible mostly dark grey, lower mandible mostly pinkish

Legs are pinkish

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Narrow supercilium, buffish in front of eye, paler buffish or whitish above and behind eye

Crown, nape and mantle rufescent grey-brown, heavily streaked

Underparts are Buffish

Tail is short

Breast with heavy blackish spots

Ear-coverts are pale grey-brown with dark rear border formed by streaks



Whitish band on side of nape/rearmost ear-coverts

Malabar Lark Identification Tips

Malabar Lark : Galerida malabarica : Resident of plain and hills of Western Peninsular India

Upper mandible is dark grey, lower mandible pale pinkish / yellowish-tinged

Legs are pinkish

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Distinct buffish supercilium

Dark loral stripe

Underparts are pale buffish / buffish-white

rufous-buff in outer tail

Breast with buff, with heavy blackish streaking

Ear-coverts buffish or pale grey-brown with darker streaking


Upperparts are Rufous-brown to grey-brown, strongly streaked blackish-brown

Prominent spiky crest

Flanks are buff

Oriental Skylark Identification Tips

Oriental Skylark : Alauda gulgula: Resident of North Central ,North East and South India

Bill is pale pinkish with dark grey culmen

Legs are pinkish

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Distinct buffish supercilium Dark loral stripe

Underparts are pale buffish / buffish-white

Tail is blackish-brown

Breast with buff, with heavy blackish streaking

Rufous cast to Ear-coverts


Upperparts are warm rufous-buff, heavily streaked blackish-brown

Small erectile crest

Flanks are buff

Rufous-tailed Lark Identification Tips

Rufous-tailed Lark : Ammomanes phoenicura : Widespread resident in India

Bill dark grey above, pale greyish-pink below with dark tip

Legs are pinkish to dull fleshy brown, duskier on toes

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Paler supercilium

Underparts are deep rufous

Uppertail-coverts and tail rufous, tail with broad dark terminal bar

Breast is rufous-buff, with dark streaking

Upperparts are dark brown-grey


Sand Lark Identification Tips

Sand Lark : Calandrella raytal : Resident of North India (East from Haryana to Arunachal Pradesh)

Bill is pale greenish / pale brownish-yellow, darker culmen

Legs are pinkish

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Pale greyish-white supercilium

Underparts are Whitish

Short Tail Breast with fine dark streaks

Upperparts are pale brownish-grey with faint thin dark streaks


Singing Bushlark Identification Tips

Singing Bushlark : Mirafra cantillans : Resident of plains of India ( Gujarat, Rajasthan, Orissa, Chattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh,Karnataka, Kerala), sporadic in other places except East India

Bill is pinkish-horn, darker and greyer on upper mandible

Legs are fleshy pink

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Prominent whitish or pale buff supercilium

Underparts are pale buff

White edges in tail

Breast with browner with small darker spots

Upperparts are grey-brown and streaked

Brownish-buff ear-coverts

Pale collar on heavily streaked neck side Throat white


Sykes's Lark Identification Tips

Sykes's Lark : Galderida deva: Resident of Central India ( Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, North Karnataka,and North Andhra Pradesh)

Upper mandible mainly medium or dark grey, lower mandible pale pinkish

Legs are pale pinkish

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Prominent buffish supercilium

Underparts are warm buff /rufous-buff

Short tail

Breast is browner with thin dark streaks

Upperparts are brownish-buff, heavily and contrastingly streaked blackish-brown

Buffish ear-coverts with some dark streaking

Moderate dark loral stripe Prominent spiky crest that is inconspicuous when folded

Pale rufous Rump


Tibetan Lark Identification Tips

Tibetan Lark : Melanocorypha maxima : Resident of Ladhak and Sikkim in India

Bill is decurved turning greyer and darker towards tip, Lower Mandible is Pale Pinkish

Legs are dark grey with pinkish tinge

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Non prominent supercilium

Underparts are warm buff /rufous-buff

Short tail with White edges

Breast is grey with diffused spots

Upperparts are brownish and heavily dark-streaked

Rufous ear-coverts

Blackish patch on side of lower neck/upper breast


Documents

The following pages have some identification markers for