The Oriental skylark (Alauda gulgula), also known as the small skylark, is a species of skylark found in the southern, central and eastern Palearctic . Like other skylarks, it is found in open grassland where it feeds on seeds and insects.
Taxonomy and systematics
The Oriental skylark was described by the English soldier and naturalist James Franklin in 1831 and given the binomial nameAlauda gulgula.[2] The meaning of the specific epithetgulgula is uncertain but is perhaps a reference to the song as gula is Latin for "throat" or may be the color of the "gulgula" or a sweet which looks like doughnut made in many parts of Central India.[3]
Other alternate names for the Oriental skylark include eastern skylark, Indian skylark and lesser skylark.[4]
A. g. vernayi - Mayr, 1941: Found in the eastern Himalayas and south-western China
Western Oriental skylark (A. g. inconspicua) or Turkestan small skylark - Severtsov, 1873: Originally described as a separate species. Found from southern Kazakhstan to eastern Iran, Pakistan and north-western India
A. g. gulgula - Franklin, 1831: Found from north-central India to Sri Lanka and east to northern Indochina
A. g. dharmakumarsinhjii - Abdulali, 1976: Found in west-central India
A. g. australis - Brooks, WE, 1873: Originally described as a separate species. Found in south-western India
A. g. weigoldi - Hartert, 1922: Found in central and eastern China
A. g. coelivox - R. Swinhoe, 1859: Originally described as a separate species. Found in southern and south-eastern China, northern Vietnam
A. g. sala - R. Swinhoe, 1870: Originally described as a separate species. Found on Hainan Island (off south-eastern China)
A. g. herberti - Hartert, 1923: Found from central and eastern Thailand to southern Vietnam
A. g. wattersi - R. Swinhoe, 1871: Originally described as a separate species. Found in Taiwan
A. g. wolfei - Hachisuka, 1930: Found on Luzon (northern Philippines)
Description
Oriental skylarks are about 16 cm (6.3 in) long. They have streaked, yellow-brown upper plumage, with white outer tail feathers and a short crest. Both sexes are similar.
in Bangladesh
Behaviour and ecology
These skylarks frequently rocket up into the sky, fluttering and singing before descending down to earth. Male Oriental skylarks may also hover in the air and sing, in order to attract a mate.
^Jobling, J.A. (2018). del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J.; Christie, D.A.; de Juana, E. (eds.). "Key to Scientific Names in Ornithology". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
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