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The black lark is a common steppe bird of the CIS countries. Interestingly, the name of the species is justified only by males who really have a plumage of a matte black shade. Homely females are dressed in a typical brownish or ocher shade.
A characteristic feature of larks is that they are songbirds whose trills are carried for many kilometers, attracting tourists and, unfortunately, raptors of the steppe birds.
Appearance
The black lark is a large representative of the species, the size closer to the starling.
The characteristic outfit of the male is painted in a saturated black shade, which is sometimes accompanied by whitish foci on the head, back or chest (less often). The female has a nondescript light color of plumage (whitish-brown, ocher). At the same time, her outfit may vary due to the individual characteristics of the body, as well as seasonally. The mottles are moderate, the entire plumage is more monotonous, the belly is light. Brown marks are periodically noted on the sides of the goiter. Some females may be darker with distinct streaks. The lower surface of the wings of the male is black, and the female is ocher or brown.
After hatching, the nestlings have brown plumage with characteristic light streaks (they resemble a female). After the first summer molt, young growth becomes plumage like in adults.
The paws of males are black, in spring the beak is gray-blue in color, and in the fall more yellowish. Females have brownish or ocher paws, and the beak is nondescript, gray.
The weight of an adult bird is up to 75 g (males) and about 50-68 g (females). The length of the body averages about 20-22 cm. The length of the wing varies between males 12-14.5 cm, females 11-12.5. The total wingspan can reach from 37 to 43 centimeters.
Behavior and lifestyle
All black larks prefer a sedentary lifestyle. Mostly inhabit feather grass and wormwood steppe zones, less often getting out in the area with shrubs and semi-deserts with salt marshes. For these birds, it is important that there are areas with open ground, possibly covered with rare grass. Often, larks are noted on the dirt roads of villages and paths along which livestock are driven.
During the nomadic period and wintering, birds can be collected in mowed fields, as well as in the field of pastures and villages. Also in winter, they wander in large schools (can reach several hundred individuals). However, only about 20% of the flock consist of females. The roaming of males, as a rule, takes place within the limits of nesting, as well as to the north in the forest-steppe. Females independently migrate to the southern regions. In spring, they meet with males, forming mixed flocks.
The diet of the black lark is composed mainly of insects, invertebrates and herbs (off-season) and plant seeds (winter). The need for small active birds and water is great, because even in the midst of nesting, they often gather at watering places. Larks love to feed on the roads.
The bird's voice is typical for representatives of the genus - field and steppe larks. It reminds audibly a continuous beautiful whistle, iridescent trills.The black lark with a murmur can also resemble a young starling. The bird sings mainly in the air, while flying low above the ground. Sometimes it is poured sitting on top of a small bush, column or stone. Also, representatives of the species are characterized by the urge - one-or two-syllable tweets: “psit” or “civli”, etc.
The lark flies quietly, performing slow flapping wings, combining active advancement with short planning periods. During rhythmic flaps, wings are gathered over the back.
Breeding
The black lark gathers for nesting in late winter or early spring with the appearance of the first thawed patches. Couples begin to form in spring schools mainly from April. Bird nests are built at a distance of 80 to 700 meters to the neighboring one. Masonry is a depression in the ground, covered with a bunch of grass or shrubs. The nest is built from dry grass and feathers, stems of wormwood or feather grass.
After mating (April-end of June), the female black lark lays 3 to 7 small eggs of a greenish, blue or off-white hue with characteristic spots. It incubates them during the incubation period (month) without the help of a male. Interestingly, among the offspring, 68% of the statistics are males. After the appearance of the chicks, both parents feed them with insects. Plumage of young growth occurs on the 9-11th day (on average in late May - early July). Re-nesting is possible if the first clutch was lost for some reason.
Nesting birds (males) gather during the nesting period of pairs on the shores of Lake Tengiz. In June, young flocks that have not reached puberty are also going to separate flocks.
Habitat
Over the past few decades, the range of black larks has declined, as has their numbers. The influence is exerted by human economic activity (treatment of the steppes with chemistry, creation of forest shelter belts, drainage of water bodies, etc.).
The lark hibernates mainly at the nesting site (regions with a low layer of snow). It can fly into the region of Omsk, Novosibirsk, Ufa.
During the nomadic period it reaches Altai, Kursk and Kuibyshev regions, the Dnieper and the western part of Ukraine, Transcaucasia, and Crimea.
The Black Lark is a singing steppe bird, which can rightfully be considered a symbol of domestic fields.
Video: Black Lark (Melanocorypha yeltoniensis)
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