Jerdon's Bushlark (Mirafra
affinis) is a small bird species (15-16 cms length) belonging to the lark
family, Alaudidae. It is named after the British naturalist, Thomas C. Jerdon,
who discovered the species in 1845. It is found distributed in the Indian subcontinent,
from Pakistan to India and Sri Lanka. It prefers open grasslands, scrublands,
and agricultural fields, where it forages for insects and seeds on the ground.
It has proven adaptable to a variety of open habitats up to a maximum elevation
of 1500 m. They have also been found to inhabit forest perimeters, rocky
scrubland, scrubby hill meadows and clearings in open-type forests, shrub-edged
unused croplands, and thickets of bamboo too.
Jerdon's Bushlark is a
resident breeder in its range, and breeding occurs from March to August. Males
have a distinctive and melodious song that they use to attract mates and defend
their territory. They can be heard singing from a perch or in a display flight,
which involves hovering in mid-air while singing. The female also sings, but
the song is softer and less elaborate than that of the male. The nest is a
cup-shaped structure made of grass and other materials, and it is placed on the
ground. The female lays 2-3 eggs, which are incubated for about 12-14 days.
Although Jerdon's Bushlark is not considered to be threatened,
its population is declining due to habitat loss and degradation. Conservation
efforts are focused on protecting and restoring its grassland habitats. The
other common larks that one can come across in different parts of Tamil Nadu, India are the Indian Bushlark (Mirafra erythroptera), Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark (Eremopterix
griseus), Oriental Skylark (Alauda gulgula), Singing Bushlark (Mirafra
cantillans) and Crested Lark (Galerida cristata). The above picture
was taken in Rajapallayam, Tamil Nadu, India.
Conservation status: Least concerned
- https://chat.openai.com/chat
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerdon%27s_bush_lark
- https://animalia.bio/jerdons-bush-lark
- https://ebird.org/species/jerbus2
- Ali S, Ripley SD. 1987. Compact handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan together with those of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. 2nd ed. Delhi: Oxford University Press.
- Meeran M, Fathima S, Sivabuvaneshwaran R, Nandhini C, Byrose M, Miriam V, Arivoli S, Samuel T. 2021. A checklist of avifauna of Kombai, Tamil Nadu, India, including diversity, abundance, and richness. Ela Journal of Forestry and Wildlife 10(4): 1016-1029.
- Rasmussen PC, Anderton JC. 2012. Birds of South Asia: the Ripley guide: attributes and status. 2nd ed. Washington DC. and Barcelona: Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Edicions
- Thirumalai G, Krishnan S. 2005. Pictorial handbook - Birds of Chennai. Zoological Survey of India.
Picture: John Ravindran (johnravindran@gmail.com)
Content: 1. Samuel Tennyson (Creator; samtennyson@gmail.com)
2. John Ravindran (Reviewer)
