Masked Lark Spizocorys personata Scientific name definitions

15 cm; 20 g. Smallish, dark lark with heavy, pinkish bill , distinctive black facial markings . Nominate race has black mask from base of bill to area around eye and extending down into broad malar band, latter with white central patch, and accentuated by pale anterior ear-coverts; crown and upperparts grey-brown with blackish central feather streaks, rump plainer, upperwing-coverts and tertials dark brown with broad cinnamon margins; flight-feathers and tail brown, outer rectrices broadly edged buff-cinnamon; throat white, breast greyish-brown, shading to rufous-brown on belly, buff undertail-coverts; eyes brown; bill pale pink or yellowish-horn; legs pale pink. Sexes alike. Juvenile undescribed. Races vary in coloration: yavelloensis is darker and greyer above, dark greyish breast contrasting more with rufous belly; <em>mcchesneyi</em> has browner upperparts darker than nominate; intensa is rich brown above, darker below, belly deeper reddish.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Not globally threatened. Locally common. Poorly known species; fieldwork required in order to ascertain details of breeding biology and ecology. Occurs in several protected areas , including Shaba Game Reserve, in C Kenya.