Horsfield's Bushlark

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Horsfield's Bushlark - The State of Victoria, Department of Environment and Primary Industries/McCann

Mirafra javanica

Small bird (12-15 cm). Short, sparrow-like beak. Upper surface grey, heavily streaked with dark brown or black. Rufous wing margin. Breast is mottled or streaked. Underside is pale. Brown tail. Buff eyebrow.

Details
Type
Bird
Group
Animals
Bushlark
Other Common Names
Singing Bushlark, Australian Skylark
Biology

Breeds September-January following significant rainfall. Builds cup-shaped nest in hollow or natural depressions in the ground, usually in grasslands.
Distinctive Markings

Feathers have dark, central streaks. Many colour variations exist that tend to match the soil colour.
Taxonomy
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Alaudidae
Genus
Mirafra
Species
javanica
Occurs from Eyre Peninsula in South Australia through Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia to Shark Bay. Vagrant to Tasmania. Also occurs from Nigeria to Arabia, India and the Malay Archipelago.

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

Horsfield's Bushlark is more often heard than seen, singing while in flight.

Interesting Facts
Diet

Omnivore. Feed on grasses, seeds and insects.
Habitat

Open woodland, tussock grassland, saltbush, cereal crops and sparse sugar cane fields.
Native Status
Native to Australia
Audio
Audio samples
Sounds
Song interwoven with shrill trilling, rich, melodious sounds, mimicry.