Alternative name: Horsfield's Bushlark, Singing Lark, Australasian Bushlark; Australasian Lark, Horsfield's Lark; (Bushlark might be split in two words by some authorities)
- Mirafra javanica
Identification
12-15cm.
- Brownish streaky upperparts
- Whitish throat
- Streaked chest
- Rufous wing patch
- White outer tail feathers
Sexes alike
Distribution
Asia and Australasia:
Southern China, Myanmar, southern and central Thailand, Indochina, Vietnam, Philippines, Java, Bali, Lesser Sundas, New Guinea, northwestern, northern, eastern, and southeastern Australia.
Taxonomy
The first four subspecies was formerly separated as Singing Bushlark, and recent data might indicate a future split is coming.
Subspecies
Twenty subspecies are recognized[1]:
- M. j. marginata:
- M. j. chadensis:
- Senegal and Mali to Sudan and western Ethiopia
- M. j. simplex:
- Western Arabia
- M. j. cantillans:
- Northern India
- M. j. williamsoni (beaulieui):
- M. j. philippinensis:
- Northern Philippines (Luzon and Mindoro)
- M. j. mindanensis:
- Southern Philippines (Mindanao)
- M. j. javanica:
- M. j. parva:
- Lesser Sundas (Lombok, Sumbawa, Sumba and Flores)
- M. j. timorensis:
- Eastern Lesser Sundas (Sawu and Timor)
- M. j. aliena (sepikiana):
- Northern, north-eastern and southern New Guinea
- M. j. woodwardi:
- Extreme north-western Western Australia
- M. j. halli:
- Northern Western Australia
- M. j. forresti: (subrufescens):
- North-eastern Western Australia
- M. j. melvillensis:
- Melville and Bathurst Islands (Northern Territory)
- M. j. soderbergi:
- Arnhem Land (northern Northern Territory), Australia
- M. j. rufescens:
- Eastern Northern Territory to north-western Queensland and north-eastern South Australia
- M. j. athertonensis:
- North-eastern Queensland (Atherton-Evelyn Tablelands)
- M. j. horsfieldii (keasti):
- eastern Australia, from northeast Queensland (southern Cape York Peninsula) south to southeast South Australia
- M. j. secunda:
- Southern South Australia
Habitat
Open grassland with scattered bushes, salty marshes, edges of cultivated fields and dried rice fields.
Behaviour
Diet
The diet includes seeds and arthropods.
Breeding
It builds a domed nest in shelter of tussocks and 2-4 eggs are laid.
References
- Clements, J. F., P. C. Rasmussen, T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, A. Spencer, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2023. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2023. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Gill, F, D Donsker, and P Rasmussen (Eds). 2024. IOC World Bird List (v 14.2). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.14.2. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
- Answers.com
- Birdforum Member observations
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Singing Bush Lark. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 17 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Singing_Bush_Lark
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
