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A Eurasian Skylark at Point Reyes, California, with Notes on Skylark Identification and Systematics

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A Eurasian Skylark at Point Reyes, California, with Notes on Skylark Identification and Systematics WESTERN BIRDS Volume 14, Number 3, 1983 A EURASIAN SKYLARK AT POINT REYES, CALIFORNIA, WITH NOTES ON SKYLARK IDENTIFICATION AND SYSTEMATICS JOSEPH MORLAN, 417 Talbot Avenue, Albany, California94706 RICHARD A. ERICKSON, Post Office Box 657, Klamath, California 95548 "...perhaps the mostcontroversial bird in California'sbirding history... the bird in questionwas identifiedfor severaldays by a legion of birdersas a Smith'sLongspur. Eventually, it provedto be a speciesof lark!" --Shuford and DeSante 1979 We reporthere on a EurasianSkylark (Alauda arver•sis) wintering at Point Reyes,Marin County, California, from 1978 to 1983, whichshowed charac- teristicsof northeastAsiatic/Alaskan populations. It representsthe first rec- ord of a naturallyoccurring Eurasian Skylark in North Americaoutside of Alaska and the first North American mainland record. Morlan (1979) and McCaskie (1979) discussedthe bird's initial visit, and the record has been reviewedbriefly by Roberson(1980). From the beginningthis bird posed an identificationproblem which seemedinsurmountable. Intense controversy developed over whether the bird shouldbe collected,some of which appearedin print (Duncan 1979, Bourne 1980, Garrett 1980, Gibson 1981b). Ultimately this record was reviewedand acceptedby the CaliforniaBird RecordsCommittee (Luther 1980). We presenthere details of howthe identificationproblem was finally resolvedin the hope that it may serveas a guidefor suchdifficult cases in the future. THE RECORD Hall Ranch, above Drake's Beach Visitors'Center at Point ReyesNational Seashore,is recognizedas the most productivesite for vagrant"grassland passerines"in centralmainland California. At about 1300 on 16 December 1978, while coveringthis area for the Point Reyes ChristmasBird Count, WesternBirds: 14:113-126, 1983 113 EURASlAN SKYLARK AT POINT REYES Ericksonfirst observed the EurasianSkylark. Other birdspresent at thistime included about 250 Horned Larks (Erernophilaalpestris), 40 Water Pipits (Antbusspinoletta) , 35 SavannahSparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis), 12 to 20 LaplandLongspurs (Calcarius lapponicus) and 2 or 3 Chestnut-collared Longspurs(Calcarius ornatus). The skylarkwas somehow passedoff as an aberrant Lapland Longspur until later that eveningwhen the possibilityof Smith'sLongspur (Calcarius pictus)presented itself. Assuming the bird wasa longspur,it clearlyfit Smith's best and Ericksonsoon becamerather convincedhe had seen that species. Over the next 31/2days most of California'sactive birders saw the skylarkand virtuallyall of them were content with it as the first Californiarecord of Smith'sLongspur! On 20 December,following an examinationof specimensat the California Academy of Sciencesand the Universityof CaliforniaMuseum of Vertebrate Zoology,Laurence C. Binfordsuggested the bird wasa skylark,either Eura- sianSkylark or OrientalSkylark (A. gulgula),or possiblya LesserShort-toed Lark (Calandrella rufescens). With this information, Jon Dunn and others studiedspecimens at the Museum of VertebrateZoology and tentatively identifiedthe bird as a EurasianSkylark from one of the northeastAsiatic populations. The lark was seen on a regular basisthrough 19 February 1979 but not thereafter. Hall Ranch is checked consistentlythrough the fall, and the skylarkwas rediscoveredthere 27 October-1November 1979 (Laymon and Shuford 1980), but we suspectit may have winteredin other fieldson Pt. Reyes.The bird returnedto Hall Ranchfor the followingwinters: 25 October 1980-21 February 1981 (Evensand LeValley 1981, LeValley and Evens 1981), 3 November 1981-3 January 1982 (Evenset al. 1982, LeValley and Evens1982), and31 October1982-29 January 1983 (LeValleyand Roberson 1983, Evensand LeValley1983). Eachwinter photographs were obtained by AlbertGhiorso and compared with those of otheryears; and each year the bird appearedunchanged, indicating the sameindividual was involved as skylarks exhibita greatdeal of individualvariation (Vaurie 1951). DESCRIPTION The followingdescription is basedprimarily upon photographstaken by Albert Ghiorso and on the authors' field notes (all on file with the California Bird Records Committee). Size and shape:Basically very similarto Horned Lark but with broaderwings (greaterwing area) and perhapsslightly smaller, shorter-tailed and chunkier. Head: Crown tawny and heavilymarked with parallellong dark-brown(nearly blackish)streaks; crown set off by cream-coloredeye-rings and superciliaries(more narrowin front of eye but extendingto bill)joining narrowly across nape to form a distinct"coronal band" (long crestfeathers helped set off crown from nape); crest clearlyevident when crownfeathers raised slightly; auricular patch ochraceous-buff faintlystreaked with mediumbrown and borderedby a bandof rusty-brown,this band beingnarrow along the fore edge, irregularalong the rear edgeand curvingaround belowthe eye, avoidingthe pale eye-ring;a separaterusty-brown spot present in the lores; nape (paler than back and crown, giving a definite collaredeffect) cream- 114 EURASlAN SKYLARK AT POINT REYES colored, moderatelystreaked with mediumbrown merginggradually into upper back; chin and throat pale ochraceous-buffwith two adjacentnarrow malar stripes(dark brown) on either side; a row of very fine, shortstreaks extending across lower throat; sidesof neck cream-colored,gradually merging with color of throat. Upperparts: Central upper back-feathersdeep brown with extensive blackish centers,a ring of paler back-feathers(cream-colored with dark-browncenters) along the sidesand behindaccentuating the more richlycolored feathers; scapulars exten- sivelydark brown with buff fringes,forming a doublerow of darker feathersbetween wing and back; lesserwing coverts,uppertail coverts, rump and lower back-feathers buff-edged with faily extensive dark-brown centers; uppersidesof secondaries medium brown, uppersidesof primariesdark brown, all with rather narrow cream borders(more rusty borders on someprimaries, especially inner ones); tips of second- aries and innermostprimaries whitish, clearly evident in flight; greaterwing coverts markedas adjacentflight-feathers but lackingwhite tips; middle wing covertsexten- sivelydark browncentrally forming an obviousband of darkerfeathers across wings; tertiariesblackish with somesuggestion of hazel,outermost tertiary edged rufous; cen- tral rectricesmedium brown fringedwith buffl outermostrectrices largely white; in- 'termediaterectrices primarily blackish, outer ones with largely white outer webs and inner ones with buff and rustyfringes. Underparts:Breast ochraceous-buff (brightest on uppersides) heavily streaked with very dark brown (blackish),these streaks becoming heavier and rustiertoward sides of upper breast, often forming distinctdark collar marks on either side when head turned; breaststreaking stopping abruptly at throat, givinga necklacedeffect; sides and flanksbuff and inconspicuouslystreaked with brown, but normallyobscured by wings;belly and undertailcoverts whitish, contrasting sharply with buff on breast,and with a faint wash of buff acrossvent; leg featherspale buff and extendingto ankle; undersideof wingspale gray with brownishunderwing coverts. Soft parts: Eye very dark; bill rather broad-basedand shallow (not unlike Horned Lark), pale horn-coloredwith blackishculmen and tip; legsand feet pinkish(duskier along upper surfaceof tarsi) with extremelylong clawsevident on hind toes. Voice: Most common call a short note, low pitchedend rough, reminiscentof the call of NorthernRough-winged Swallow ($telgidopteryxserripennis); also a seriesof rich, low, musical"chirrup" calls. Some observersreported brief segmentsof flight song. Behavior:Associated with a largeflock of Horned Larks, invariablyone of the last birdsto flush;crouched low whilefeeding, often taking a concealmentposture with wingsslightly spread; walked deliberately without bobbing or hopping;occasionally walkedabout standing quite tall and revealingits legs, unlike the longspurspresent; flightvery bouyant,especially upon landing. Figure 1. Outer wing shape of Eurasian A.arvensis (Alaudaarvensis) and Oriental(A. gulgula) skylarks showing differencesin relative lengthof five outermostvisible primaries, numbered5-9 (after Portenko 1954). A.gulgula 1.1.5 EURASIAN SKYLARK AT POINT REYES IDENTIFICATION (ELIMINATION OF SIMILAR SPECIES) Smith's Longspur It is obviousfrom the photographsthat the bird is not a Smith'sLongspur. The bill shape evident in Figures2 through4 is too slenderfor a longspur. Note particularlythe color of the central rectricesin Figure 2; these brown central rectricesare not presentin longspurs.Additionally, winter plumaged Smith'sLongspurs usually have brightbuff colorationextending over the en- tire underparts. Other Larks Most other lark genera bear no real resemblance to Alauda. Harrison (1966) proposedmerging Lullula and Galeridainto Alauda but his sugges- tion was not followedby Hall and Moreau (1970). Voous (1977) or Devillers (1980). Galerida includesthree speciesof African sun larks (G. rnodesta,G. frernantilii,and G. rnagnirostris)which are somewhatsimilar to skylarksbut lack white outer rectrices. Galerida also includes three sibling speciesof crested larks (G. cristata, G. rnalabarica, and G. deva) which also lack white outer rectricesand can furtherbe told by their abruptcrests, which are much more prominent and pointed than on skylarks.Woodlark (Lullula arborea) i. Figure2 EurasianSkylark at PointReyes, California. 11 February1979 withwing and tail spread.Note while tips to inner primaries.and pure white. not rulescent white,outer
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