BLACK LARK

The 'Black Lark', ''Melanocorypha yeltoniensis'', breeds in southeast Russia and Kazakhstan. It is partially migratory, with birds from the northwest of its breeding range moving south-east to winter further into Russia and neighbouring countries, as far as the northern Black Sea coasts in southern Ukraine.
This is a bird of open steppe, often near water. Its nest is on the ground, with 4-5 eggs being laid. Food is seeds and insects, the latter especially in the breeding season. It is gregarious in winter.
This is a large, robust lark, 18-20.5 cm in length. The adult male is unmistakable, being all black with some pale feather fringes on its back, and with a yellowish or pink bill. The female is undistinguished in comparison, mainly dark-blotched grey above and paler below. Her legs and underwing are black.
The song is like a frantic version of that of Skylark.

Contents

Vagrancy

References

Vagrancy

Black Lark is a very rare vagrant away from its breeding range, with records during both spring and autumn passage periods, and also in winter; the following is a complete list of European records away from the breeding range & normal wintering range at the time of writing (2005):

★ '1803 Italy' A male at Alessandria, Piemonte on an unknown date in autumn

★ '19th Century Austria' Three males, one shot, at Breitensee, Vienna, on an unknown date between 1857 & 1874

★ '1874 Germany' A female on Heligoland on 27th April

★ '1892 Germany' A male on Heligoland on 27th July

★ '1897 Moldova' One in March

★ '1900 Romania' One at Dobrogea in March

★ '1914 Turkey' One at Küçükcekmece, Istanbul on 14th October

★ '1929 Malta' One in winter

★ '1930 Greece' One at Athens in spring

★ '1958 Greece' A male at Athens on 20th April

★ '1961 Italy' One at Manfredonia, Puglia, on 3rd May

★ '1963 Greece' A flock of eight at Lake Koronia on 20th February

★ '1964 Greece' Two at the Axios Delta on 8th February

★ '1981 Czech Republic' A male at Zakupy on 28th November

★ '1984 Great Britain (England)' A male at Spurn, Yorkshire on 27th April

★ '1988 Poland' One at Kosienice on 17th January

★ '1989 Finland' A male at Joensuu on 24th March

★ '1989 Finland' A male at Korppoo on 8th April

★ '1993 Sweden' A male at Karlstad on 6th & 7th May

★ '1995 Bulgaria' A female at Cape Kaliakra on 25th May

★ '2003 Great Britain (Wales)' A male at RSPB South Stack, Anglesey from 1st to 8th June
An individual was also recorded on an unknown date (prior to 2003) in Lebanon.

References

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