Larks (Alaudidae)

Indian Bushlark (Mirafra erythroptera) - HBW 9, p. 543

French: Alouette à ailes rousses German: Rotflügellerche Spanish: Alondra India
Other common names: Indian/Red-winged(!) Lark, Indian Red-winged/Rusty-winged Lark/Bushlark

Taxonomy: Mirafra erythroptera Blyth, 1845, northern portion of Indian Peninsula.
Relationship with African congeners unknown. Mitochondrial DNA data suggest that this species is nested within the “M. assamica complex”, thus making latter non-monophyletic. Birds from NW of range, supposedly paler and greyer above and whiter below, sometimes recognized as race sindiana, but variation apparently individual rather than geographical; others, from Rajkot, in Gujarat (India), described as race furva on basis of longer tail and darker plumage than that form; more research needed. Monotypic.

Distribution: SE (possibly also NE) Pakistan and much of India (S Punjab, W Rajasthan and W Gujarat E to Orissa, S to S Karnataka).