Monotonous Lark vs Singing Bush Lark: How to Tell Them Apart

Monotonous Lark

Mirafra passerina

Small25 gWoodland

A medium-small, compact lark with a small bill, a plain face, and an indistinct eyebrow. It has streaky upperparts with a distinct rufous wing panel and a lightly-streaked buffy chest that separates the white throat from the pale belly.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recorded by Rion Lerm · Call, song · Kruger Park (near Kruger National Park), Mopani, Limpopo, South Africa · CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: (c) Derek Keats, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by

Singing Bush Lark

Mirafra javanica

Small23 gGrassland

The singing bush lark is a small, thickset bird with a large head, a short, sparrow-like bill and a small crest which is only visible when raised. Its dorsal plumage colour is brown, reddish or sandy with darker central streaks to the feathers. The breast is mottled or streaked and it has a buff eyebrow. The underparts are pale, with a brown tail. The adult upper parts and crown are near black with coarse buff to russet streaking. Juveniles are similar but the crown and upper parts are neatly scaled by narrow white fringes to the feathers. Voice: During the breeding period they sing any time of day or night, on the ground and low perches or in song-flights hovering high over territory. The bush lark can sustain a melodious song which is typically interspersed with skillful mimicry of many other species.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recorded by Rob Nicholson · Mosquito Creek Road, Coolmunda, Goondiwindi Regional, Queensland, Australia · CC BY 4.0

Photo: (c) Andrew Allen, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Andrew Allen · cc-by

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Monotonous Lark and Singing Bush Lark.