Lark from Morocco and the gallery, June 2012 (1 Viewer)

[njlarsen]

Dunn's lark is getting split. The only image I can find in the gallery that might be correct for this species is this one from Merzouga, Morocco; however, this is north of where this bird is usually seen and according to the web, this species would not be regular there. So what is the true id - Dunn's or something else?

Dunn's Lark (Eremalauda dunni)

Morocco, Merzouga

www.birdforum.net

thanks
Niels

I have now discovered approved observations from Merzouga in 2010 and 2019, but so far not outside of those years.

 

[opisska]

Dunn's larks are notoriously tricky to ID from juvenile Black-headed Sparrowlarks, but to me this one looks like Dunn's, the bill shape is right. All the desert species are occasionally seen in in Merzouga, so I wouldn't be that surprised to have it there.

 

[Muppit17]

Dunn's lark is getting split. The only image I can find in the gallery that might be correct for this species is this one from Merzouga, Morocco; however, this is north of where this bird is usually seen and according to the web, this species would not be regular there. So what is the true id - Dunn's or something else?

Dunn's Lark (Eremalauda dunni)

Morocco, Merzouga

www.birdforum.net

thanks
Niels

I have now discovered approved observations from Merzouga in 2010 and 2019, but so far not outside of those years.

Maghreb Ornitho is a good source of bird summaries for this area. See Dunn’s Lark at Merzouga, Morocco - MaghrebOrnitho

The species is notoriously nomadic and follows rains across the Saharan edge. It bred in 2010 and there were few records from 2011 to 2019.


I seem to remember a record or two in 2020 as well, but haven't checked. It was very dry during the winters of 2019/2020 & 2020/2021 to the extent that Dayet Srij, the fresh water lake that covered c 4 sq km in autumn 2019, was down to a few puddles in Spring 2020 & non existent since.

On that basis, probably not a good time to try there at the moment.

 

[James Lowther]

Image is certainly a Dunn’s Lark

I’ve no special info about its presence at Merzouga in 2012 but we saw one there in 2019

Cheers

James

Edit: Muppit’s link on magornitho details a record in June 2012 (perhaps by the gallery contributor?)

 

[njlarsen]

Thank you all. The date on the photo I linked to is June 7, exactly one of the two days in 2012 mentioned with observations in the link given by muppit. I am therefore going to believe the id. This will now become the image in our opus page.
Niels

 

[opisska]

I have an Arabian Dunn's Lark photo actually I just don't put photos to the gallery here (it's simply too much work). But it's roughly as good as this one, so it wouldn't be an improvement anyway.

pevci3-sylvioidea-skrivanoviti

by Manželé Ebrovi | 26 from 28 photos | skřivánek plavobřichý (Eremalauda dunni, Dunn's Lark), Maroko

eu.zonerama.com

 

[njlarsen]

Thank you! We actually have three images in the gallery already of what is now Arabian Lark.
Niels

 

[James Lowther]

I have an Arabian Dunn's Lark photo actually I just don't put photos to the gallery here (it's simply too much work). But it's roughly as good as this one, so it wouldn't be an improvement anyway.

pevci3-sylvioidea-skrivanoviti

by Manželé Ebrovi | 26 from 28 photos | skřivánek plavobřichý (Eremalauda dunni, Dunn's Lark), Maroko

eu.zonerama.com

Linked photo is from Maroko (=Morocco?)
Is there another photo of Arabian DL?
James

 

[opisska]

Nooo, sorry, I meant African (which was the point of this thread).

 

[njlarsen]

Thanks Jan,
if I understand the information correctly, this was taken on 30.12.2016. Can you say anything about where in Morocco?
Niels

 

[opisska]

This is from Aousserd road, Western Sahara, there is a report by me from that somewhere around but I can't find it on my phone.

 

[njlarsen]

Thanks Jan. Image has been added to the opus page.
Niels

 

[Muppit17]

Dunn's larks are notoriously tricky to ID from juvenile Black-headed Sparrowlarks, but to me this one looks like Dunn's, the bill shape is right. All the desert species are occasionally seen in in Merzouga, so I wouldn't be that surprised to have it there.

Just thought I would clarify one thing. Although Dunn's occur together with Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark in Western Sahara, (inc Aousserd Rd) I am fairly certain there have been no records of BC SL around Merzouga. This makes direct confusion less of an issue. (until the first turns up!)

 

[opisska]

Really? I had no idea! I always thought they are occasionally there ... then sorry for the wrong advice.