Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark

The ashy-crowned sparrow-lark (Eremopterix griseus) is a diminutive bird, akin in size to the familiar sparrow. It is a member of the lark family, with a finch-like bill and short legs. The male is distinguished by a striking black-and-white facial pattern and a black belly, while the female is cloaked in sandy brown, bearing a resemblance to the female house sparrow but with a more robust and shorter-necked appearance.

Identification Tips

Males of this species can be identified by their sandy brown plumage, contrasted with a black belly, chin, lower lores, and eye stripe. The crown is ashy, with the base of the feathers being dark. Females are pale brown and can be mistaken for female house sparrows, though they have notably shorter legs and a stockier build.

Habitat

The ashy-crowned sparrow-lark favors open landscapes with bare ground, grass, and scrub. It is typically found at elevations below 1,000 meters, in habitats such as stubble, scrub, waste land, and riverside sands, avoiding the interiors of deserts.

Distribution

This species is native to South Asia, ranging from south of the Himalayas to Sri Lanka, west to the Indus river system, and east to Assam. They are known to retreat from regions of heavy rainfall during the monsoon season.

Behaviour

These larks are often seen in pairs or small groups, forming larger flocks in the winter. They forage on the ground for seeds and insects and are known to roost at night in small depressions they make in the soil.

Song & Calls

The male's breeding display includes a song flight with chirruping calls, followed by a dive with partly closed wings and a subsequent glide. This undulating flight is punctuated by a long, low whistle at each dive and a sharp "chilp" note at the peak of each rise.

Breeding

Breeding occurs irregularly, typically before the rains, from February to September in southern India and May to June in Sri Lanka. The nest is a compact depression under a tuft of grass, lined with grass and hair, and sometimes adorned with pebbles at the edge. Both parents incubate the eggs, which hatch after about 13 to 14 days, and take turns feeding the young.

Similar Species

The ashy-crowned sparrow-lark can be confused with the black-crowned sparrow-lark, especially where their ranges overlap in the arid zones of India and Pakistan. However, the black-crowned species has a darker head and is more likely to inhabit desert interiors.

Diet and Feeding

Their diet consists of seeds and insects, and they have been observed feeding on fallen grain in fields.

Conservation status

The ashy-crowned sparrow-lark is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, indicating that it currently faces no significant threats to its survival.

In the gentle cadence of the natural world, the ashy-crowned sparrow-lark plays its part with a quiet dignity, gracing the open lands of South Asia with its presence and song.