Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark

The black-crowned sparrow-lark (Eremopterix nigriceps) is a diminutive bird, a member of the Alaudidae family, notable for its striking sexual dimorphism. The male boasts a distinctive black and white head pattern, while the female dons a more subdued sandy plumage.

Identification Tips

Males can be identified by their largely black heads with contrasting white foreheads and cheek patches. Their upperparts are a pale greyish brown, and they have black underparts and underwings, with a notable white patch at the sides of the breast. Females, on the other hand, are paler with sandy brown upperparts and a faintly streaked crown. They have whitish underparts with a pale cinnamon breast band and black underwing coverts. Juveniles resemble females but have buff-tipped head feathers. These birds measure between 11.5 and 12.5 cm in length.

Habitat

The black-crowned sparrow-lark favors arid and semi-arid plains with sparse low vegetation and grass tussocks, showing a preference for sandy substrates over rocky soils. It is also known to inhabit areas surrounding salt pans.

Distribution

This species is widespread, found from the Cape Verde Islands across the Sahel of North Africa, through the Arabian Peninsula, and extending to north-western India.

Behaviour

These larks are adapted to their hot environments, seeking shade during the midday heat and employing various behaviors to regulate body temperature, such as flying with legs dangling to expose bare skin or perching to face the wind with wings drooped. They may form flocks outside the breeding season, ranging from small groups to gatherings of several thousand.

Song & Calls

The male's song is a variable series of simple, sweet notes, delivered either during flight displays or from a low perch.

Breeding

Males perform aerial displays over their territory, which include steep climbs, circling, calling, and shallow dives. Breeding is often triggered by rainfall and can occur at any time when conditions are favorable. The nest is a shallow depression lined with plant material and sometimes marked with small stones. Both parents incubate the 2 to 3 eggs for about 11 to 12 days. Chicks leave the nest at around eight days old and fledge at about 21 or 22 days.

Diet and Feeding

Primarily seed-eaters, black-crowned sparrow-larks also consume insects and other invertebrates. The young are fed mostly insects while in the nest. Foraging occurs mainly in the cooler hours of early morning and evening.

Conservation Status

The black-crowned sparrow-lark is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, indicating a stable population without significant threats at present.