Singing Bushlark.
Photo: N Lazarus © N Lazarus
Distribution map of Mirafra javanica
Map © Birds Australia Birdata
Singing Bushlark
Scientific name: Mirafra javanica
Family: Alaudidae
Order: Passeriformes
What does it look like?
Description
The Singing Bushlark is a small, short, thickset bird with a short sparrow-like bill. The upper parts are brown, reddish or sandy in colour 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. It is mainly found on the ground and runs without bobbing. If disturbed, it may fly low to the ground in short jerky swoops, with the neck stretched so that the head is held up and the tail is pointed down. The wings in flight appear short and broad. The Singing Bushlark is also known as the Horsfield's, Australasian or Brown Bushlark.
Similar species
The Singing Bushlark is much smaller than two similar birds, the Skylark, Alauda arvensis, and Richard's Pipit, Anthus novaeseelandiae. Its song is not as rich and varied as the song of the Skylark and it lacks the Skylark's short crest. The Singing Bushlark runs without bobbing, unlike the pipit.
Where does it live?
Distribution
The Singing Bushlark occurs from the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia, through Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia to Shark Bay. This species is vagrant to Tasmania. It also occurs from Nigeria to Arabia, India and the Malay Archipelago.
Habitat
The Singing Bushlark occurs in tropical and temperate grasslands, open woodlands, cereal crops and sparse sugar cane fields.
Seasonal movements
The Singing Bushlark is a summer migrant to south-east Australia.What does it do?
Feeding
The Singing Bushlark feeds on grasses, seeds and insects. It often forages alone, but sometimes is found in small parties, foraging on the ground.Breeding
The Singing Bushlark will breed following significant rainfall in arid areas. It builds a deep, cup-shaped nest in a natural depression or a hollow scrape in the ground. The nest is usually lined with dry grasses and a hood of dry grasses is often built over the nest. The nests are usually found in grasslands.
Living with us
Living with humans
The Singing Bushlark may have benefitted from from the clearing of forests for pasture and cropping. Their young may be vunerable to predation in the nest by introduced predators.References
Pizzey, G. and Knight, F. 1997. Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. Angus and Robertson, Sydney.
Schodde, R. and Tideman, S.C. (eds) 1990. Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds (2nd Edition). Reader's Digest (Australia) Pty Ltd, Sydney.
Morcombe, M. 2000. Field guide to Australian Birds. Steve Parish Publishing.
Beruldsen, G 2003. Australian Birds: Their Nests and Eggs. Self-published, Queensland.
Higgins, P.J., Peter, J.M. and Cowling, S.J. (eds) 2006. Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds, Volume 7 (Boatbill to Starlings) Part A. Oxford University Press. Melbourne.