Melanocorypha
| Melanocorypha | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Calandra lark (Melanocorypha calandra) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Alaudidae |
| Genus: | Melanocorypha F. Boie, 1828 |
| Species | |
|
M. calandra | |
Melanocorypha is a small genus of birds in the lark family. The current genus name, Melanocorypha is from Ancient Greek melas, "black", and koruphos a term used by ancient writer for a now unknown bird, but here confused with korudos, "lark". [1]
Its members mainly occur in temperate Asia from Turkey through Central Asia to China, but the calandra lark also has an extensive European distribution around the Mediterranean.
These larks are mostly partially migratory, moving relatively short distances from the coldest parts of their ranges. Several species are very rare vagrants to western Europe.
These are birds of open cultivation, steppe or semi-desert. They nest on the ground and the young are precocial. The food is seeds supplemented with insects especially in the breeding season. They are gregarious outside the breeding season.
Melanocorypha larks are large, robust birds, 16.5–20 cm long with strong thick bills. Some have the typically undistinguished lark plumage, mainly streaked greyish-brown above and white below, but the, black and white-winged larks have distinctive male plumages. Several species have large black patches on the breast sides.
In flight they show broad wings and a shortish tail. The songs of most species are like that of the skylark.
Species in taxonomic order
- Calandra lark, Melanocorypha calandra
- Bimaculated lark, Melanocorypha bimaculata
- Tibetan lark, Melanocorypha maxima
- Mongolian lark, Melanocorypha mongolica
- Black lark, Melanocorypha yeltoniensis
Originally, the bar-tailed lark was also placed in this genus (as M. cinctura).[2] The white-winged lark was also formerly placed in this genus (as M. leucoptera or M. sibirica).[3]
Fossil record
- †Melanocorypha serdicensis (late Miocene from Hrabarsko, Bulgaria)[4]
- †Melanocorypha donchevi (late Pliocene from Varshets, Bulgaria[4]
- †Melanocorypha minor (Pliocene of Beremend, Hungary) [5]
References
- ↑ Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 247. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
- ↑ "Ammomanes cinctura - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-18.
- ↑ "Alauda leucoptera - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
- 1 2 Boev, Z. 2012. Neogene Larks (Aves: Alaudidae (Vigors, 1825)) from Bulgaria - Acta zoologica bulgarica, 64 (3), 2012: 295-318.
- ↑ Kessler, E. 2013. Neogene songbirds (Aves, Passeriformes) from Hungary. – Hantkeniana, Budapest, 2013, 8: 37-149.