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Kenyan Sparrow-Lark (1 Viewer)

JWN Andrewes

Poor Judge of Pasta.
Another mystery photo from a colleague's recent trip to Kenya. Taken on a rocky outcrop surrounded by flat grassland at Amboseli. I've got it down to immature Sparrow-Lark, either Fischer's or Chestnut-backed on range, with the former more likely on abundance, but of course it don't always work like that! Any thoughts?

Cheers

James
 

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halftwo

Wird Batcher
James,

A strange-looking washed-out beast! I'd go for Fischer's on the following: dark centres to the wing coverts, general paleness, mottled head, dark on belly restricted to centre; habitat.
However the wings do look rather rufous!

H
 

tomjenner

Well-known member
Here is a female Chestnut-backed (I don't have any pictures of juveniles) and as Halftwo says, the wing coverts have distinct chestnut centres. I am not familiar with Fischer's, but Chestnut-backed doesn't seem quite right.

Tom
 

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Tib78

Well-known member
Hi all,

Like the previous poster, my experience of Sparrow-larks in juv/imm plumage is rather limited.
I agree with Halftwo and Tom, it looks like a Fischer's to me too. For some of the features mentionned by Halftwo and also because of the reddish cast on the supercilium and around the eye: a feature I usually associate with Fischer's.
On the other hand, I would not put too much confidence in the amount of black on the belly: juvenile generally have a paler belly than adults and even adult females can show considerable variation in this respect (at least in some West African populations, some females Chestnut-backed can have a very pale belly).
 
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RedChris79

New member
Hi all,
I am the afore mentioned colleague who took this photo. James tells me it may be of some use for you guys to post this on the Opus database as an example of the species showing juvenile plumage. Please feel free to do so and use these photos as you wish.
Cheers
Chris
 

njlarsen

Gallery Moderator
Opus Editor
Supporter
Barbados
Chris, welcome to birdforum and thanks for your permission to post this. Now that you are here, take a look around! It would be great if you would also post the images in the gallery here (I can post it to Opus but not the gallery).

Niels

Edit: any insight into behavior would be welcome
 
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RedChris79

New member
Behaviour

Hi Niels,
I'm afraid I can't offer you much in the way of behaviour description. It was on a large rocky outcrop and this little chap was perched close to the cliff top. It stayed long enough for me to take two photos and then dissappeared over the edge. Sorry I can't offer anything a little more inspiring!
 

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