| Williams's lark | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Alaudidae |
| Genus: | Mirafra |
| Species: | M. williamsi |
| Binomial name | |
| Mirafra williamsi Macdonald, 1956 | |
 | |
Williams's lark (Mirafra williamsi) is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. Discovered in 1955, much of its life and ecology is still a mystery to ornithology. [2]
The bird is named after John George Williams (1913–1997) a British ornithologist who was curator of the Coryndon Museum in Nairobi, Kenya (now called the National Museums of Kenya). [3] Alternate names for Williams's lark include Marsabit lark and Williams's bush lark. [4]
In general, the natural habitat of M. williamsi is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. Its range is restricted to northern Kenya where it is found in two disjunct populations:
One population is located north of Marsabit, in the Didi Galgalla desert, a region marked by plains of rocky, red lava soils and patches of short-grass and bushes. [2]
The other inhabits a particular area (elevated between 600 m and 1,350 m) lying between Isiolo and Garba Tula. It has even, unbroken communities of Barleria shrubs. [2]
The males of the species perform long, drawn-out, conspicuous song-flights above their territories after the rains at dawn, making them easy to find at this time. [2]
Williams's larks consume various seeds and insects. [2]
The Bengal bush lark or Bengal lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in southern Asia.
Jerdon's bush lark or Jerdon's lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in south Asia. This was formerly considered as a subspecies of Mirafra assamica and termed as the Madras bushlark. Two other species in the complex include Mirafra marionae and Mirafra microptera. Jerdon's bush lark is typically very pale on the underside
The singing bush lark or Horsfield's bush lark is a species of lark which inhabits grassland throughout most of Australia and much of Southeast Asia. It was described by the American naturalist Thomas Horsfield.
The Indian bush lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in South Asia.
The melodious lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in southern Africa. It is currently threatened by habitat loss.
Kordofan lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in Africa.
The Degodi lark is a lark in the family Alaudidae endemic to Ethiopia. It is now considered a subspecies of Gillett's lark.
The Indochinese bush lark or Indochinese lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in southeast Asia.
Gillett's lark or Gillett's bushlark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in eastern Africa.
The Madagascar lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae endemic to Madagascar.
The red-winged lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in eastern Africa.
The monotonous lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in southern Africa.
Friedmann's lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in East Africa.
The rusty bush lark, also known as the rusty lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in the Sahel region of north-central Africa.
The Somali lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae endemic to Somalia.
Archer's lark, also known as the Liben lark, is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in Somalia and Ethiopia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss. The bird's common name and binomial commemorate the British explorer and colonial official Sir Geoffrey Francis Archer.
The rufous-naped lark or rufous-naped bush lark is a widespread and conspicuous species of lark in the lightly wooded grasslands, open savannas and farmlands of the Afrotropics. Males attract attention to themselves by a bold and often repeated wing-fluttering display from a prominent perch, which is accompanied by a melodious and far-carrying whistled phrase. This rudimentary display has been proposed as the precursor to the wing-clapping displays of other bush lark species. They have consistently rufous outer wings and a short erectile crest, but the remaining plumage hues and markings are individually and geographically variable. It has a straight lower, and longish, curved upper mandible.
The white-tailed lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in Africa.
The foxy lark or Abyssinian lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in east-central Africa.
The Angola lark or Angola bushlark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in southern and central Africa.
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