Corypha nigrescens
The Plateau Lark (*Corypha nigrescens*) is a distinctive, medium-sized songbird, typically measuring 16-18 cm in length with a wingspan of 28-32 cm and weighing between 25-35 grams. Its plumage is predominantly a sooty-brown dorsally, providing excellent camouflage against its stony habitat, contrasting subtly with a paler, mottled breast and creamy-white belly. Key field marks include its short, conical bill, a dark crown often appearing slightly peaked, and a relatively short tail with dark...
Arid to semi-arid montane grasslands and open, stony plateaus, typically found above 1,800 meters (6,000 feet) elevation, often with scattered low shrubs and tussock grasses.
Primarily insectivorous during the breeding season, consuming grasshoppers, beetles, ants, and caterpillars. Supplemented heavily with seeds from grasses and forbs, especially outside the breeding period.
Diurnal in its activity, the Plateau Lark is active from dawn to dusk, often roosting singly or in small groups on the ground, seeking shelter under rocks or dense grass to mitigate cold and evade nocturnal predators. Foraging primarily involves deliberate ground gleaning, where it probes among s...
The Plateau Lark has a somewhat disjunct distribution across several high-altitude regions of Eastern and Southern Africa. Its primary breeding range extends across the Ethiopian Highlands, particularly on the Sanetti Plateau, Bale Mountains, and Simien Mountains, typically found between 2,200 an...
Least Concern
- The Plateau Lark's scientific name, *Corypha nigrescens*, translates roughly to "dark-crested lark," referring to its distinctly dark plumage and often slightly peaked crown. - Despite its drab appearance, the male Plateau Lark is renowned for one of the most complex and sustained aerial song d...