Larks (Alaudidae)

Australasian Bushlark (Mirafra javanica) - HBW 9, p. 543

French: Alouette de Java German: Horsfieldlerche Spanish: Alondra de Java
Other common names: Australasian Lark, Singing Bushlark(!), Eastern (Singing) Bushlark, Horsfield’s Bushlark; Cinnamon Lark (woodwardi); Javan Lark (javanica)

Taxonomy: Mirafra Javanica Horsfield, 1821, Java.
Relationship with African congeners not known. Has sometimes been placed in a superspecies with M. cantillans, M. albicauda, M. passerina and M. cheniana, but validity of this grouping remains untested. Often treated as conspecific with M. cantillans, and probably closest to and sister-taxon of that species, from which it differs by 1·8% in cytochrome b sequences. Geographical variation to some extent correlated with colour of local soil substrate and regional humidity, and there is much presumed convergence in appearance among taxa; only Australian and mainland SE Asian races revised recently, and further study needed. Race woodwardi sometimes considered a separate species. Otherwise, described race beaulieui (S Vietnam) is synonymized with williamsoni, sepikiana (N New Guinea) with aliena, subrufescens (NW Australia) with forresti, normantoni (NE Australia) with rufescens, and keasti (SE South Australia) with horsfieldi. Sixteen subspecies currently recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

williamsoni Stuart Baker, 1915 - locally in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and extreme S China (including N Hainan).
philippinensis R. G. W. Ramsay, 1886 - N Philippines (Luzon, Mindoro).
mindanensis Hachisuka, 1931 - S Philippines (Negros, Mindanao).

See all 16 subspecies

williamsoni Stuart Baker, 1915 - locally in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and extreme S China (including N Hainan).
philippinensis R. G. W. Ramsay, 1886 - N Philippines (Luzon, Mindoro).
mindanensis Hachisuka, 1931 - S Philippines (Negros, Mindanao).
javanica Horsfield, 1821 - S Borneo, Java and Bali.
parva Swinhoe, 1871 - Lesser Sundas (Lombok, Sumbawa, Sumba, Flores).
timorensis Mayr, 1944 - Sawu and Timor.
aliena Greenway, 1935 - N, NE & S New Guinea.
melvillensis Mathews, 1912 - Melville I, N Australia.
halli Bianchi, 1907 - N Western Australia.
woodwardi Milligan, 1901 - extreme NW Western Australia.
forresti Mayr & McEvey, 1960 - NE Western Australia.
soderbergi Mathews, 1921 - N Australia (N Northern Territory).
rufescens Ingram, 1906 - E Northern Territory, NW Queensland and NE South Australia.
athertonensis Schodde & Mason, 1999 - NE Queensland (Atherton-Evelyn Tablelands).
secunda Sharpe, 1890 - S South Australia.
horsfieldii Gould, 1847 - SE Australia.