Desert Lark - Ammomanes deserti - Bird of India

Desert Lark

Ammomanes deserti

14 May 2009

Possible regional races (polytypic)
	-A. d. phoenicuroides; Blyth, 1853

Ammomanes deserti phoenicuroides

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Wood Fossil Park, Near Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India, 01 March 2009
A single bird flitting about the dark desert terrain

Historical
878. Ammomanes phoenicuroides. The Desert Finch-Lark. Mirafra phoenicuroides, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xxii, p. 583 (1853).

Ammomanes phoenicuroides (Blyth), Horsf, & M. Cat. ii, p. 478; Sharps, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 647; Gates in Hume's N. & E. 2nd ed. ii, p. 242.

Ammomanes lusitanica (Gmel.), Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 422; Hume, N. & E. p. 478; id. S. F. i, p. 211.

Ammomanes deserti (Licht.), Hume, Cat. no. 759; Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 276.

The Pale-rufous Finch-Lark, Jerd.

Coloration. Upper plumage greyish brown, tinged with rufous on the upper tail-coverts and slightly streaked with blackish on the crown; tail brown margined with pale rufous, the outer web of the outer tail-feather entirely of this colour, the bases of all the feathers tinged reddish; wing-coverts and quills brown margined with pale fulvous, the inner web of all the quills largely pale rufous; lores brown; a ring round the eye and a line above and below the lores fulvous white; ear-coverts greyish brown; chin and throat pale fulvous white, with a few brown spots on the lower throat; remainder of lower plumage fulvous grey, with a few brown streaks on the breast; under wing-coverts and auxiliaries rufous.

Bill dusky above, yellowish beneath; feet pale yellow-brown (Jerdon).

Length about 7; tail 2.6; wing 4.1; tarsus 0.9; bill from gape 0.65 (inches - Ed).

Oates, Eugene W. 1889-90. The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Birds.- Vol. I-II.

This species inhabits Affghanistan and Central Asia, but spreads into Cashmere and the Punjab Salt range, Where procured by Mr. Theobald. Griffith states that it frequents rocks and stony places, and that the claws are usually much worn. It is chiefly an inhabitant of Arabia, Northern Africa, and Southern Europe, especially in the south of Spain and Portugal.

Jerdon, T.C. 1862. The Birds Of India. Vol I, II & III.

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