Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark

Overview

The ashy-crowned sparrow-lark (Eremopterix griseus) is a small, sparrow-sized member of the lark family found across open plains in South Asia. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Males are sandy brown with a black belly, chin, and lower lores, featuring a contrasting black-and-white face pattern and an ashy crown.
• Females are pale brown and resemble female house sparrows, but possess shorter, stockier legs and a shorter neck.
• The bird has a finch-like bill and short legs, usually seen sitting on the ground rather than perching in trees or bushes.
• Males perform a distinctive undulating, dive-bombing flight display during the breeding season, accompanied by a long, descending whistle.

Habitat

This species is found in open land with bare ground, grass, and scrub, including stubble, waste land, riverside sand, and coastal tidal flats, across South Asia. It is restricted to elevations below 1,000 m and avoids the interior of desert zones, withdrawing from heavy rainfall regions during the monsoon season.

Diet

These birds forage on the ground for seeds and insects, and will take fallen grain in fields. When disturbed, they often crouch before taking to flight.

Did you know?

During British India, the bird was shot for the table and termed an 'ortolan'. Additionally, while most birds have a non-functional right ovary, a study found that 6 out of 150 specimens of this species had traces of a right ovary, although the oviduct was absent.