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Difference between revisions of "Thick-billed Lark" - BirdForum Opus

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;[[: Category:Ramphocoris|Ramphocoris]] clotbey
 
;[[: Category:Ramphocoris|Ramphocoris]] clotbey
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
−
17cm. Short but conspicuous bill, blunt, toothlike projection on middle of lower mandible fits into notch on upper mandible. Upperparts uniformly pink/grey-brown, chest to vent with large black spots, sides of head blackish, throat and eye-ring white; plumage of females of less contrasting colour and not so heavily streaked.
+
17cm (6.75 ins)<br />
 +
Short thick bill; projection on lower mandible fits into notch on upper mandible<br />
 +
*Pinkish or greyish-brown upperparts
 +
*Large black spots on underparts
 +
*Black face with a white patch in centre of cheek
 +
*White throat and eye-ring<br />
 +
'''Females''' not so clearly marked with less streaking
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
 
[[Image:03C9286 Thick-billed Lark.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|A.+Meir|A. Meir}}<br />Arava valley, [[Israel]], March 2012]]
 
[[Image:03C9286 Thick-billed Lark.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|A.+Meir|A. Meir}}<br />Arava valley, [[Israel]], March 2012]]
 
[[Africa]] and the [[Middle East]]:<br />
 
[[Africa]] and the [[Middle East]]:<br />
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Deserts of [[Western Sahara]], extreme N [[Mauritania]], S and SE [[Morocco]], W and interior N [[Algeria]], C and S [[Tunisia]], NW [[Libya]], C [[Jordan]], N [[Saudi Arabia]]. An irregular and rare visitor to [[Egypt]]; a sporadic visitor to S [[Israel]]; an uncommon winter visitor to S and C [[Saudi Arabia]]; small numbers seen occasionally in W [[Kuwait]]; vagrant in S [[Yemen]].
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Deserts of [[Western Sahara]], extreme northern [[Mauritania]], south and south-eastern [[Morocco]], west and interior northern [[Algeria]], central and southern [[Tunisia]], north-western [[Libya]], central [[Jordan]], northern [[Saudi Arabia]]. An irregular and rare visitor to [[Egypt]]; a sporadic visitor to southern [[Israel]]; an uncommon winter visitor to southern and central [[Saudi Arabia]]; small numbers seen occasionally in western [[Kuwait]]; vagrant in southern [[Yemen]].
  
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
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This is a [[Dictionary_M-S#M|monotypic]] species<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>.
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This is a [[Dictionary_M-O#M|monotypic]] species<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>.
 +
 
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
 
Dry shrubland and hot, stony deserts avoiding sand dunes.
 
Dry shrubland and hot, stony deserts avoiding sand dunes.
  
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
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The diet includes seeds, green plant material as well as  insects. It uses its bill to cut off plant material and to dig for food.  Hard seeds are swallowed whole and not husked with bill, instead grit is taken with food to aid digestion.
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====Breeding====
 +
Pebbles are used for nest building which the males presents to the female during display. The shallow nest is scraped out of the ground near a stone or bush, with a pebble ramp on one side. The 3 to 5 eggs are incubated by the female from March through to May. The young are tended by both adults. No information available on incubation or fledging times.
 +
 
 +
====Diet====
 +
The diet consists of insects, seeds and plants. They use their strong bill to dig for seeds, which are swallowed whole. Grit is used to aid digestion. Forages singly or in small flocks.
 +
 
 +
====Vocalisation====
 +
'''Male song''': from both the ground and in flight, consists of a rapid series of twittering notes and a medley of warbling and tinkling notes.<br />
 +
'''Calls''': include a sharp ''prit,'' usually in flight, plus ''wick-wick,'' ''sree,'' ''coo-ee,'' ''wheet-wheet-wheet,'' with an alarm call of a long plaintive whistle, ''tsu-ee''.
  
−
During ground display, male presents to female pebbles that are used in nest building. Nest cup-shaped, frequently surrounded by small lumps of soil or small stones. 2-3 eggs are laid and incubated by female March through May, both parents feed young.
 
 
==References==
 
==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug13}}
+
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug13}}#Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved March 2014)
−
#Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive
 
 
{{ref}}
 
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==

Latest revision as of 19:55, 5 July 2014

Photo by Daniele Occhiato
Matmata, Tunisia, April 2005
Ramphocoris clotbey

Identification

17cm (6.75 ins)
Short thick bill; projection on lower mandible fits into notch on upper mandible

  • Pinkish or greyish-brown upperparts
  • Large black spots on underparts
  • Black face with a white patch in centre of cheek
  • White throat and eye-ring

Females not so clearly marked with less streaking

Distribution

Photo by A. Meir
Arava valley, Israel, March 2012

Africa and the Middle East:
Deserts of Western Sahara, extreme northern Mauritania, south and south-eastern Morocco, west and interior northern Algeria, central and southern Tunisia, north-western Libya, central Jordan, northern Saudi Arabia. An irregular and rare visitor to Egypt; a sporadic visitor to southern Israel; an uncommon winter visitor to southern and central Saudi Arabia; small numbers seen occasionally in western Kuwait; vagrant in southern Yemen.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species[1].

Habitat

Dry shrubland and hot, stony deserts avoiding sand dunes.

Behaviour

Breeding

Pebbles are used for nest building which the males presents to the female during display. The shallow nest is scraped out of the ground near a stone or bush, with a pebble ramp on one side. The 3 to 5 eggs are incubated by the female from March through to May. The young are tended by both adults. No information available on incubation or fledging times.

Diet

The diet consists of insects, seeds and plants. They use their strong bill to dig for seeds, which are swallowed whole. Grit is used to aid digestion. Forages singly or in small flocks.

Vocalisation

Male song: from both the ground and in flight, consists of a rapid series of twittering notes and a medley of warbling and tinkling notes.
Calls: include a sharp prit, usually in flight, plus wick-wick, sree, coo-ee, wheet-wheet-wheet, with an alarm call of a long plaintive whistle, tsu-ee.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved March 2014)

Recommended Citation

External Links

Retrieved from ‘https://www.birdforum.net/wiki/index.php?title=Thick-billed_Lark&oldid=201777’
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