Stark's Lark Spizocorys starki Scientific name definitions

13–14 cm; 16–22 g. Fairly small, very pale lark with erectile crest which, even when not raised, tends to make head appear slightly peaked; stout bill rather heavy along much of its length. Has pale face , appearing washed out, with whitish supercilium contrasting only slightly with buff-brown ear-coverts, faint darker T-shaped mark under eye (visible only at close range); pale to very pale sand-brown above , darker brown feather centres forming indistinct streaks, these most prominent on crown; wing-coverts dark brown with broad buffy margins, median coverts often show as row of darker spots; flight-feathers and tail darker brown with buffy margins, especially on inner secondaries, tertials and central tail feathers, outer rectrices broadly edged white; underparts white, buffy wash and a few darker brown streaks on breast; eyes brown, bill whitish horn-coloured, tip darker; legs pale flesh. Distinguished from S. conirostris by slightly larger size, paler and less brown upperparts, much longer, paler bill; from S. sclateri by paler plumage above and below, somewhat shorter and less heavy bill. Sexes alike. Juvenile has white tips and darker subterminal bars on upperpart feathers, appearing slightly darker and more spotted, breast diffusely spotted.

Angolan coastal plain (S from Porto Amboim, in Cuanza Sul), Namibia, SW Botswana and NW South Africa.

Seeds, insects and green vegetable matter. In one study in C Namib Desert, seeds made up 77% of diet, with insects 19% and green vegetable matter 4%; seeds were mostly those of grasses, with some forbs, and insects were mostly termites (of genus Hodotermes) and ants, with smaller numbers of beetles (Coleoptera), bugs (Hemiptera), flies (Diptera), solifugids and spiders. Unusually, chicks, even from hatching, fed mostly with green seeds. Forages on the ground, singly or in small flocks of up to ten birds; occasionally in aggregations of hundreds or thousands, often mixed with Eremopterix verticalis and Lark-like Buntings (Emberiza impetuani). Creeps along, picking prey from surface, or digs with its bill; also pulls at grass stems to expose succulent bases, which are then eaten. Seeks shade in heat of day, or sometimes reduces heat stress by standing with wings drooped, facing into wind, on elevated perch. Regularly drinks water, especially in hot, dry weather, but some flocks apparently survive without access to water in C Namib. Metabolic rate typical for a bird of its size, but rate of evaporative water loss significantly lower than expected, also significantly lower among birds deprived of water. Some individuals maintained constant weight on a diet solely of dry millet seeds or with only 0·3 M salt solution to drink; water-deprived birds produced faecal pellets containing 52% water.

Male song, in flight, a long, rambling series of rather unmelodic chirps and trills, with occasional sweeter whistles, most phrases repeated 3–5 times before switching to new phrase. Soft “chipping” call in flight or when flushed; “tree” call when nest approached by intruder; soft “chop chop” feeding call to nestlings.

Breeds opportunistically after rains, mostly Mar–May, but can occur at any time; typically starts 4–8 weeks after rain events, thus somewhat later than other nomadic species in its range, e.g. Eremopterix australis and E. verticalis and Lark-like Bunting, possibly because of nestling diet (seeds); in N & NW Karoo, abundance of Stipagrostis awns (used for nest-lining) may be indicator of suitable breeding conditions. Monogamous; nests singly, but often at fairly high densities when conditions favourable. Male performs protracted aerial display, rising steeply 50–100 m and singing continuously while circling or flying slowly into wind, usually ending by dropping straight down to ground, often to chase another bird; on ground, approaches female with raised crest and wings slightly drooped, bobbing its head and singing continuously. Nest in shallow scrape on ground, usually at base of a grass tuft, other plant or rock, typically on S or E side for shelter from afternoon sun, those in winter often more exposed, cup mostly lined with grass awns, rim adorned with pebbles, soil clods and occasionally sand-encrusted spider webs. Clutch 2–4 eggs (mean 2·7); incubation by both sexes, period 11–13 days; chicks well camouflaged by having long, silky down that matches feathery grass awns of nest-lining, brooded and fed by both parents; when nest approached, parents flutter erratically over intruder, calling and sometimes snapping the wings, frequently landing and taking off again, if intruder persists they may feign injury by fluttering away along ground; chicks leave nest at c. 10 days, before able to fly. Of 12 eggs in six nests in Kalahari, only four hatched and no chicks fledged.