Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark vs Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark

Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark

Eremopterix nigriceps

Tiny14 gGrassland

The adult males has a bold pied head pattern with a mainly blackhead with contrasting white forehead and white cheek patches. The upperparts are pale greyish brown with black underparts and underwings which contrast with a white patch at the sides of the breast. The tail is blackish with buff edges and grey central feathers, The bill is horn coloured. The females are very different being pale sandy brown on the upperparts with faint streaking on the crown and whitish patches around the eye and on the sides of the neck.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Rui Ribeiro · CC BY 4.0

Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark

Eremopterix leucotis

Small16 gGrassland

This is a small lark at 11 cm. The male is striking, with solid black underparts and head apart from brilliant white patches on the nape and behind the eyes. The upperparts and wings are chestnut with some dark streaking. The thick bill is grey. The female chestnut-backed sparrow-lark is a drabber bird with heavily streaked buff-white underparts and head, and a white nape collar. The upperparts are chestnut with mottling. Young birds are like the female.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Attila Oláh · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark and Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark.