Bird Guide

Bengal Bush Lark vs Jerdon's Bush Lark

Bengal Bush Lark (Plocealauda assamica)

Bengal Bush Lark

Plocealauda assamica

The Bengal bush lark is short-tailed and has a strong stout bill. It is not as long as the skylark, measuring about 15 centimetres in length. It is dark-streaked grey above, and buff below, with spotting on the breast and behind the eye. The wings are rufous. The song is a repetition of thin disyllabic notes, delivered in a song-flight.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Mike Prince from Bangalore, India · CC BY 2.0
Jerdon's Bush Lark (Plocealauda affinis)

Jerdon's Bush Lark

Plocealauda affinis

Jerdon's bush lark has arrowhead-like spots pointing upwards on the breast. It is very similar to the Indian bush lark (M. erythroptera) but has buffy lores, less white behind ear coverts, darker center to wing coverts and central tail feathers. Dark centers of primary coverts are prominent, and wing panels are duller and rufous. In the southern Western Ghats, the race ceylonensis is darker and more rufous on the underside and has a longer bill. Jerdon's bush lark has paler, greyish-brown underparts. The song of the Jerdon's bush lark is a dry rattle given from its perch.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: The original uploader was Mohan.kemparaju at English Wikipedia. · CC BY 2.5

Words used here

lores:
the small patch between the eye and the bill
coverts:
the small feathers covering the base of the wing feathers
underparts:
the throat, breast and belly

Learn this pair in the BeakBrain App

Photo and call practice. Free on the App Store.

Play today's Daily Bird

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Bengal Bush Lark and Jerdon's Bush Lark.