Madagascar Lark

About the Madagascar Lark

The Madagascar lark (Eremopterix hova) is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae endemic to Madagascar. The Madagascar lark was described by the German ornithologist Gustav Hartlaub in 1860, who placed it within the genus Mirafra. The specific name, hova, refers to the Hova, a caste in the precolonial Kingdom of Madagascar. It remained in the genus Mirafra until a 2013 study of the genetics of the family lead by Per Alström unexpectedly placed it with the genus Eremopterix, where it was moved to in 2014. The relationships of the Madagascar lark within this genus are not yet fully understood. Alternative names for the Madagascar lark include Hova lark, Madagascan bush lark, Madagascar singing bushlark, and Madagascar sparrow lark.

The Madagascar lark is very similar to many of the other Mirafra larks to which it was formerly thought to be related. It is a small lark, 13 cm long, with greyish-brown upperparts streaked with darker brown, and whitish below with blackish streaks or spots on the upper breast; the wings are dark brown with paler fringes on the primary and secondary feathers often visible as a pale panel on the closed wing... Wikipedia →