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Brown SonglarkAlternate name(s): "Black-breasted Lark", "Harvest-bird", "Singing Lark*", "Skylark*" ![]() Size: 23-25 cm (male), 18-19 cm (female) Weight: 66-82 g (male), 28-36 g (female) |
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Similar |
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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BREEDING |
Near-frontal view of a male Brown Songlark in breeding
plumage
[Near Cryon, NSW, March 2022]
Near-lateral view of a male Brown Songlark in breeding
plumage
marking its territory
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Clarendon, Gatton, QLD, November 2019]
Lateral view of a male Brown Songlark in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Lake Tyrrell, VIC, October 2019]
Lateral view of a male Brown Songlark in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Lake Tyrrell, VIC, October 2019]
Lateral view of a male Brown Songlark in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Lake Tyrrell, VIC, October 2019]
Lateral view of a male Brown Songlark - note the dark appearance
of its wet breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Tungamah, VIC, October 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a male Brown Songlark in
breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Clarendon, October 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a male Brown Songlark in
breeding plumage
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2019]
Lateral view of a male Brown Songlark in breeding
plumage
singing in its display flight
[Goran Lake, NSW, October 2011]
The same male Brown Songlark as shown above, viewed at a slightly
different angle
[Goran Lake, NSW, October 2011]
This photo shows clearly the semi-translucent appearance of
the wing feathers of a male Brown Songlark
[Goran Lake, NSW, October 2011]
Lateral view of a male Brown Songlark in transitional
plumage, just
starting to moult, while already seen busy marking its territory
with display flights and territorial calls
[Near Bellata, NSW, September 2015]
Near-dorsal view of a male Brown Songlark in transitional
plumage
[Near Bellata, NSW, October 2013]
Near-dorsal view of a male Brown Songlark in transitional
plumage
[Near Bellata, NSW, October 2013]
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NON-BREEDING |
Close-up frontal view of a male Brown Songlark still primarily
in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Winton, QLD, August 2022]
Close-up near-lateral view of a male Brown Songlark still primarily
in non-breeding
plumage issuing its
call
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Winton, QLD, August 2022]
Close-up lateral view of a male Brown Songlark still primarily
in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Winton, QLD, August 2022]
Close-up near-lateral view of a male Brown Songlark still primarily
in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Winton, QLD, August 2022]
Lateral view of a male Brown Songlark in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Roxby Downs, SA, June 2022]
Lateral view of a male Brown Songlark in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Erldunda, NT, June 2023]
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FEMALE |
Frontal view of a female Brown Songlark; note the black belly patch
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Roxby Downs, SA, June 2022]
Frontal view of a female Brown Songlark looking sideways
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Roxby Downs, SA, June 2022]
Lateral view of a female Brown Songlark - note the characteristic
black belly patch
[Goran Lake, NSW, October 2013]
Near-dorsal view of a female Brown Songlark
looking back
[Goran Lake, NSW, October 2013]
Slightly different near-dorsal views of a female Brown Songlark -
tail down (left) and tail cocked (right)
[Goran Lake, NSW, October 2013]
This female Brown Songlark was found with its foot stuck in sticky
bitumen and had to be rescued by the photographer
(photo courtesy
of J. Greaves)
[50 km N of Leinster, Northern Goldfields, WA, December 2014]
Near-dorsal view of a female Brown Songlark
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a female Brown Songlark
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Samsonvale, QLD, December 2019]
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PAIR |
Close-up near-lateral/lateral view of a pair of Brown Songlarks
on the ground, with the male still primarily in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Winton, QLD, August 2022]
Near-dorsal view of a pair of Brown Songlarks, with the male on
the right and the much paler female on the left; this photo was
taken at the end of the breeding season, when both birds had
already moulted into their non-breeding
plumage
[Near Bourke, NSW, March 2008]
Dorsal views of a pair of Brown Songlarks
[Near Bourke, NSW, March 2008]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Frontal view of a female Brown Songlark, as indicated by the black
belly patch; the heavy streaking and pale gape indicate that this
bird may still be a juvenile
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Birdsville Development Road, QLD, September 2022]
Lateral view of a juvenile(?) female Brown Songlark
[Near Burren Junction, NSW, May 2020]
Lateral view of a juvenile(?) female Brown Songlark
[Near Burren Junction, NSW, May 2020]
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Territorial | Mobility: Migratory | Elementary unit: Pair |
(Slightly unsharp) lateral view of a moulting female Brown Songlark
on a sealed road - this behaviour is more often observed in
Australasian
Pipits
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Goondiwindi, QLD, March 2018]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
brnslrk_20220218.m4a | (NW NSW) |
Territorial calls (male in display flight) |
© MD |
More Brown Songlark sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.