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

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©www.ogaclicks.com 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 Grey Bill Greyish-brown /pale buffish ear-coverts Throat, neck side and underparts Black Upperparts grey- brown, lightly streaked

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

Grey Bill Brown ear-coverts, ale crescent behind it

Breast indistinctly Upperparts grey- streaked brown, lightly streaked

Pinkish Legs

©www.ogaclicks.com Reference : www.HBW.com Asian Shot-toed Lark Identification Tips

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

Whitish narrow supercilium and wide eyering Crown with prominent fine blackish streaks. Bill horn-grey, darker Can be erected on culmen, base of lower mandible yellowish

Upperparts grey- brown, broader Breast and sides washed light dark streaks cinnamon-rufous. Finely and densely streaked dark, up to flanks Long primary projection

Underparts are white

Legs brownish-flesh / yellowish-brown

Short tail

©www.ogaclicks.com Reference : www.HBW.com Bengal Bushlark Identification Tips

Bengal Bushlark : Mirafra assamica : Resident of Plains and Plateau of North India to East India ( Bihar, Bengal & Assam) Buffish supercilium Crown, mantle and scapulars with moderately distinct dark streaks Bill dark grey above and pinkish below

Breast has heavy dark streaks

Rufous Wing panel Underparts are rufous-buff

Short tail Legs are Pink

©www.ogaclicks.com Reference : www.HBW.com Bimaculated Lark Identification Tips

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

Dark loral stripe Prominent whitish supercilium

Bill yellowish /pinkish, dark culmen and tip of lower mandible Rufous-tinged ear-coverts Prominent blackish patch on side of lower neck/upper breast (They often meeting thinly in centre) Upper parts are buffy grey- brown /rufescent grey- Breast has fine dark streaks brown, heavily streaked with black streaks

Underparts are rufous-buff

Short tail

Legs are pinkish to yellowish

Important Id point Tail tip white ©www.ogaclicks.com Reference : www.HBW.com Bimaculated Lark Identification Tips – Rufous Morph

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

Dark loral stripe Prominent whitish supercilium

Bill yellowish /pinkish, dark culmen and tip of lower mandible Rufous-tinged ear-coverts Prominent blackish patch on side of lower neck/upper breast (They often meeting thinly in centre) Upper parts are buffy grey- brown /rufescent grey- Breast has fine dark streaks, Is brown, heavily streaked with Rufous black streaks Flanks are Rufous

Underparts are rufous-buff

Short tail

Legs are pinkish to yellowish

Important Id point ©www.ogaclicks.com Reference : www.HBW.com Black-crowned Sparrow lark Identification Tips - Male

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

Black-and-white head pattern Narrow white stripe down side of breast

Bill is bluish-white

Chin and entire underparts black

Upperparts sandy-brown with reddish tinge

White Thighs

Legs are pale flesh

©www.ogaclicks.com Reference : www.HBW.com Black-crowned Sparrow lark Identification Tips - Female

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

Bill duller horny steel-grey

Breast is brownish Upperparts grey- with variable streaking rufous, lightly streaked

Underparts are White

Pinkish Legs

©www.ogaclicks.com Reference : www.HBW.com Crested Lark Identification Tips

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

Prominent long, spiky crest,

Bill dark horn above, Buff-white supercilium and eyering pale yellow-flesh below Dark eyestripe Dark Moustachial Stripe Dark malar stripe Upperparts buffish Buff on breast side grey-brown, heavily with broad blackish streaked dark spot-like streaks brown Buff on flanks with narrow and more diffuse streaks

Legs are pale flesh coloured

©www.ogaclicks.com Reference : www.HBW.com Desert Lark Identification Tips

Desert Lark : Ammomanes deserti phoenicuroides : Resident of North , Gujarat and North West India Faint dark loral stripe Bill pale brown / yellowish, darker Buff supercilium, faint pale eyering grey-horn culmen and tip Upper parts are Plain. dark grey-brown to Faint malar stripe Isabelline-brown Throat whitish

Rufous-tinged tail feathers Chest with diffuse streaking becoming blackish-centred towards tips, forming diffuse, triangular-shaped terminal band Underparts buffish

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

Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Inskipp and Grimmett Eurasian Skylark Identification Tips

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

Short erectile crest Bill pale horn Whitish supercilium and eyering Thin dark moustachial stripe Dark ear-coverts Thin dark malar stripe Upperparts olive- brown / brownish- rufous with heavy Breast washed light blackish streaks rufous-buff and heavily streaked blackish Flanks with narrower streaks

Legs are pale yellowish- brown / flesh-coloured

©www.ogaclicks.com Reference : www.HBW.com Greater Hoopoe Lark Identification Tips

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

Creamy supercilium Bill dark grey. thin and Well-marked head pattern decurved bill with very pointed mandibles Long and narrow dark eyestripe Blackish moustachial stripe

Breast is creamy, blotched Upperparts are sandy with small blackish spots or buffy brown

Underparts are White

Legs are pale grey

©www.ogaclicks.com Reference : www.HBW.com Greater Short-toed Lark Identification Tips

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

Broad whitish supercilium Head is densely streaked and rufous- Bill is pale horn-coloured, tinged, with erectile feathers darker culmen and tip, yellowish on mandible Grey-brown cheeks

Throat is White

Breast is with faint buff Upperparts are warm tinge and fine dark brown to grey-brown streaks and heavy black streaks

Tail blackish brown, Underparts are White centre brown, white outer feathers

Legs are pale brownish flesh to light brown

©www.ogaclicks.com Reference : www.HBW.com Horned Lark Identification Tips

Horned Lark : Eremophila alpestris longirostris : Resident of Ladhak in India Broad whitish supercilium Elongated lateral crown feathers like Horns Bill is dark Grey to Black Grey-brown cheeks black of cheek band and chest separated by white lower neck side Upperparts are sandy

flank washed pinkish-rufous

Underparts are White

Legs are black Tail blackish

Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com 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

White supercilium Crown slightly rufous-tinged and faintly Distinct dark loral stripe dark-streaked Bill is pale brownish- yellow or greyish- yellow, culmen and tip of lower mandible dark grey Upperparts are grey-brown and Small blackish patch on side of heavily streaked dark lower neck/upper breast breast washed buffish to more brown-grey

Underparts are White

Legs are pinkish to brownish Tail Blackish -brown

©www.ogaclicks.com 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 Whitish or pale buffish supercilium crown, nape and upperparts rufescent grey-brown, heavily streaked Bill is pinkish, grey culmen Prominent spotting on ear coverts , pronounced dark border to ear coverts Upperparts are heavily streaked and warmer Breast with large Sandy-buff to rufous -buff blackish-brown spots

Extensive Rufous on wings Tail is black Underparts are White

Legs are pinkish

©www.ogaclicks.com Reference : www.HBW.com Jerdon's Bushlark Identification Tips Jerdon's Bushlark : Mirafra affinis : Resident of South East & South India

Narrow supercilium, buffish Crown, nape and mantle rufescent grey-brown, in front of eye, paler buffish heavily streaked or whitish above and Whitish band on side of behind eye nape/rearmost ear-coverts Larger bill, upper Ear-coverts are pale grey-brown mandible mostly dark with dark rear border formed by grey, lower mandible streaks mostly pinkish Upperparts are heavily streaked and warmer Sandy-buff to rufous -buff Breast with heavy blackish spots Tail is short

Extensive Rufous on wings

Underparts are Buffish

Legs are pinkish

Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Inskipp and Grimmett Jerdon's Bushlark Identification Tips Jerdon's Bushlark : Mirafra affinis : Resident of South East & South India

Narrow supercilium, buffish Crown, nape and mantle rufescent grey-brown, in front of eye, paler buffish heavily streaked or whitish above and Whitish band on side of behind eye nape/rearmost ear-coverts Larger bill, upper Ear-coverts are pale grey-brown mandible mostly dark with dark rear border formed by grey, lower mandible streaks mostly pinkish Upperparts are heavily streaked and warmer Sandy-buff to rufous -buff Breast with heavy blackish spots Tail is short

Extensive Rufous on wings

Underparts are Buffish

Legs are pinkish

©www.ogaclicks.com Reference : www.HBW.com Malabar Lark Identification Tips Malabar Lark : Galerida malabarica : Resident of plain and hills of Western Peninsular India

Distinct buffish supercilium

Dark loral stripe Prominent spiky crest

Upper mandible is dark grey, lower mandible Ear-coverts buffish or pale grey- pale pinkish / yellowish- brown with darker streaking tinged Upperparts are Rufous- brown to grey-brown, strongly streaked blackish- Breast with buff, with heavy brown blackish streaking rufous-buff in outer tail Flanks are buff

Underparts are pale buffish / buffish-white

Legs are pinkish

©www.ogaclicks.com Reference : www.HBW.com Oriental Skylark Identification Tips Oriental Skylark : Alauda gulgula: Resident of North Central ,North East and South India

Distinct buffish supercilium Dark loral stripe Small erectile crest

Bill is pale pinkish with dark grey culmen Rufous cast to Ear-coverts

Upperparts are warm rufous-buff, heavily streaked blackish-brown Breast with buff, with heavy blackish streaking Tail is blackish-brown Flanks are buff

Underparts are pale buffish / buffish-white

Legs are pinkish

©www.ogaclicks.com Reference : www.HBW.com Rufous-tailed Lark Identification Tips Rufous-tailed Lark : Ammomanes phoenicura : Widespread resident in India

Paler supercilium

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

Upperparts are dark Breast is rufous-buff, with brown-grey dark streaking Uppertail-coverts and tail rufous, tail with broad dark terminal bar

Underparts are deep rufous

Legs are pinkish to dull fleshy brown, duskier on toes

Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Inskipp and Grimmett Sand Lark Identification Tips Sand Lark : Calandrella raytal : Resident of North India (East from Haryana to Arunachal Pradesh)

Pale greyish-white supercilium

Bill is pale greenish / pale brownish-yellow, darker culmen Upperparts are pale brownish-grey with faint thin dark streaks

Breast with fine dark Short Tail streaks

Underparts are Whitish

Legs are pinkish

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

Prominent whitish or pale buff supercilium Bill is pinkish-horn, darker and greyer on upper mandible Brownish-buff ear-coverts Throat white Pale collar on heavily streaked neck side Upperparts are grey-brown and streaked Breast with browner with small darker spots

White edges in tail Underparts are pale buff

Legs are fleshy pink

Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Inskipp and Grimmett Sykes's Lark Identification Tips Sykes's Lark : Galderida deva: Resident of Central India ( Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, North Karnataka,and North Andhra Pradesh)

Prominent spiky crest that is inconspicuous when folded Moderate dark loral stripe Prominent buffish supercilium Upper mandible mainly medium or dark grey, lower mandible pale pinkish Buffish ear-coverts with some dark streaking

Upperparts are brownish- buff, heavily and Breast is browner with thin contrastingly streaked dark streaks blackish-brown

Underparts are warm buff /rufous-buff

Short tail Legs are pale pinkish Pale rufous Rump

©www.ogaclicks.com Reference : www.HBW.com Tibetan Lark Identification Tips Tibetan Lark : Melanocorypha maxima : Resident of Ladhak and Sikkim in India

Non prominent supercilium Bill is decurved turning greyer and darker towards tip, Lower Mandible is Rufous ear-coverts Pale Pinkish

Blackish patch on side of lower Upperparts are brownish neck/upper breast and heavily dark-streaked Breast is grey with diffused spots

Underparts are warm buff /rufous-buff

Legs are dark grey with pinkish tinge Short tail with White edges

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