Malabar lark

Malabar lark

A pair of Galerida malabarica from Mangaon, Maharashtra, India
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)^[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Alaudidae
Genus:	Galerida
Species:	G. malabarica
Binomial name
*Galerida malabarica* (Scopoli, 1786)

Synonyms
Alauda malabarica

The Malabar lark, or Malabar crested lark (Galerida malabarica) is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in western India.

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Taxonomy and systematics

Originally, the Malabar lark was classified in the genus Alauda before being moved to its present genus. Also, some authorities have considered the Thekla lark to be a subspecies of the Malabar lark.^[2]

Description

This is a smallish lark, slightly smaller than the Eurasian skylark. It has a long spiky erectile crest. It is greyer than the skylark, and lacks the white wing and tail edges of that species, which is a winter visitor to India.

It is very similar to the crested lark, which breeds in northern India. The Malabar lark is smaller and dark-streaked reddish brown in plumage, whereas the crested lark is grey. The belly is white. The sexes are similar.

Sykes's lark is another Indian relative that also has reddish-brown plumage, but is smaller, shorter-billed, with a stiff upright crest and has plain rufous underparts.

Distribution and habitat

The Malabar lark is found in western India. It is a common bird of open country, cultivation and scrub, often at some altitude.

Behaviour and ecology

The Malabar lark is a sedentary breeding bird that nests on the ground, laying two or three eggs. Its food is seeds and insects, the latter especially in the breeding season.