The Oriental skylark (''Alauda gulgula''), also known as the small skylark, is a species of

skylark ''Alauda'' is a genus of larks found across much of Europe, Asia and in the mountains of north Africa, and one of the species (the Raso lark) endemic to the islet of Raso in the Cape Verde Islands Cape Verde or Cabo Verde, officially ...

found in the Sino-Indian region and parts of central Asia. Like other skylarks, it is found in open

grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominance (ecology), dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes such as clover, and other Herbaceo ...

where it feeds on

seeds In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds are the ...

and insects.

Taxonomy and systematics

The Oriental skylark was described by the English soldier and naturalist James Franklin in 1831 and given the

binomial name In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, altho ...

''Alauda gulgula''. The meaning of the

specific epithet In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...

''gulgula'' is uncertain but is perhaps a reference to the song as ''gula'' is Latin for "throat" or may be the color of the "gulgula" or a sweet which looks like doughnut made in many parts of Central India. Other alternate names for the Oriental skylark include eastern skylark, Indian skylark and lesser skylark.

Subspecies

Thirteen

subspecies In Taxonomy (biology), biological classification, subspecies (: subspecies) is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (Morphology (biology), morpholog ...

are recognized: * Kashmir skylark (''A. g. lhamarum'') or Kashmir small skylark - Meinertzhagen, R & Meinertzhagen, A, 1926: Found in the

Pamir Mountains The Pamir Mountains are a Mountain range, range of mountains between Central Asia and South Asia. They are located at a junction with other notable mountains, namely the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun Mountains, Kunlun, Hindu Kush and the Himalaya ...

and western

Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya ( ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than list of h ...

* ''A. g. inopinata'' - Bianchi, 1905: Found on the

Tibetan Plateau The Tibetan Plateau, also known as the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau or Qingzang Plateau, is a vast elevated plateau located at the intersection of Central Asia, Central, South Asia, South, and East Asia. Geographically, it is located to the north of H ...

and north-western China * ''A. g. vernayi'' -

Mayr Mayr is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Andrea Mayr (born 1979), Austrian female long-distance runner * Ernst Mayr (1904–2005), German American evolutionary biologist * Franz Xaver Mayr (1875–1965), Austrian gastro ...

, 1941: Found in the eastern Himalayas and south-western China * Western Oriental skylark (''A. g. inconspicua'') or Turkestan small skylark - Severtsov, 1873: Originally described as a separate species. Found from southern Kazakhstan to eastern Iran, Pakistan and north-western India * ''A. g. gulgula'' - Franklin, 1831: Found from north-central India to Sri Lanka and east to northern Indochina * ''A. g. dharmakumarsinhjii'' - Abdulali, 1976: Found in west-central India * ''A. g. australis'' - Brooks, WE, 1873: Originally described as a separate species. Found in south-western India * ''A. g. weigoldi'' -

Hartert Ernst Johann Otto Hartert (29 October 1859 – 11 November 1933) was a widely published German people, German ornithologist. Life and career Hartert was born in the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg on 29 October 1859. In July 1891, he married ...

, 1922: Found in central and eastern China * ''A. g. coelivox'' - R. Swinhoe, 1859: Originally described as a separate species. Found in southern and south-eastern China, northern Vietnam * ''A. g. sala'' - R. Swinhoe, 1870: Originally described as a separate species. Found on

Hainan Island Hainan is an island province and the southernmost province of China. It consists of the eponymous Hainan Island and various smaller islands in the South China Sea under the province's administration. The name literally means "South of the Sea ...

(off south-eastern China) * ''A. g. herberti'' - Hartert, 1923: Found from central and eastern Thailand to southern Vietnam * ''A. g. wattersi'' - R. Swinhoe, 1871: Originally described as a separate species. Found in Taiwan * ''A. g. wolfei'' - Hachisuka, 1930: Found on Luzon (northern Philippines)

Description

Oriental skylarks are about long. They have streaked, yellow-brown upper

plumage Plumage () is a layer of feathers that covers a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage differ between species and subspecies and may vary with age classes. Within species, there can b ...

, with white outer tail

feather Feathers are epidermal growths that form a distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on both avian (bird) and some non-avian dinosaurs and other archosaurs. They are the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates and an exa ...

s and a short crest. Both sexes are similar. The Oriental skylark differs from the

Eurasian skylark The Eurasian skylark (''Alauda arvensis'') is a passerine bird in the lark family, Alaudidae. It is a widespread species found across Europe and the Palearctic with introduced populations in Australia, New Zealand and on the Hawaiian Islands. I ...

in several aspects. It is a smaller size, with a longer, more pointed bill. The outer tail feathers are more buff, and it lacks the white trailing edge during flight.

Distribution and habitat

This lark breeds across the Sino-Indian region and parts of central Asia. It winters in the southern parts of its range. It is usually found in open areas with short vegetation, such as grasslands, marshes, the edges of lakes, etc. It feeds on seeds and insects. It avoids forested areas, though it may be found in large forest clearings.

Behaviour and ecology

These skylarks frequently rocket up into the sky, fluttering and singing before descending down to earth. Male Oriental skylarks may also hover in the air and

sing Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define singi ...

, in order to attract a mate.

References

External links

*
Birding in Taiwan
{{Taxonbar , from=Q525871 Oriental skylark Birds of Central Asia Birds of South Asia Birds of Southeast Asia Birds of China Oriental skylark Oriental skylark