From Opus

Photo by kuwaity

Eremopterix nigriceps

[edit] Identification

11.5-12.5cm. Female - mainly pale brown and streaked; male - white forehead, cheeks, sides of neck, and collar of nape, black crown, stripe through eye to base of bill, and lower border of cheek, black underparts, upperparts greyish brown.

[edit] Distribution

Photo by AJDH
Dammam Airport, Saudi Arabia

Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Very occasional straggler Algeria, Israel, Jordan.

[edit] Taxonomy

The following subspecies are recognised: Eremopterix nigriceps affinis, E.n.melanauchen, E. n. albifrons

[edit] Habitat

Dry savanna, semi desert and flat, sandy areas of desert with sparse vegetation.

[edit] Behaviour

See reference below for a detailed account.

[edit] Diet

The diet is principally seeds but insects are taken.

[edit] Breeding

Monogamous. The female only builds the cup-shaped nest with the male in close proximity; the rim of nest is surrounded by small pebbles or sand/mineral concretions whenever the nest is placed in loose, sandy terrain. 2 or 3 eggs are laid, and incubated by both sexes for 11–12 days. Both parents incubate, about 25% of the time by the male. Feeding by both parents, apparently mainly with insects and their larvae. Young leave the nest after eight days and begin to fly after 14 or 15 days. After leaving the nest, each parent cares for one single chick. Any third chicks are usually runts and die before leaving the nest, sometimes seemingly rejected by the parents.

[edit] External Links

[edit] References

Morgan J.H. and J. Palfrey "Some notes on the Black-crowned Finch-Lark" 1986 Sandgrouse 8: 58-73