greater lark hoopoe

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PAKHI DEKHUN PAKHI CHINUN (Observe the Bird and recognize)....GREATER HOOPOE LARK...[From a Photograph of SARWANDEEP SINGH]....WATERCOLOUR...A4...2013...he Greater Hoopoe-Lark (Alaemon alaudipes), is a passerine bird which is a breeding resident of arid, desert and semi-desert regions from the Cape Verde Islands across much of north Africa, through the Arabian peninsula, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. It was formerly known as the Bifasciated Lark. This lark is large, long-legged and slender-bodied with a distinctive down-curved bill. The face has dark markings including a line through the eye and whisker like-lines from the base of bill running under the eye. The breast is spotted and the underside is buffy white while the upper-parts are sandy grey. The female is slightly smaller with less prominent markings and the bill is slightly shorter. The hind claw is short and straight. The curved upper beak has the nostril opening exposed. The tongue is bifid at the tip. Birds are seen singly or in pairs as they forage by running or walking in spurts, probing and digging the ground. They have been recorded to feed on the fruiting bodies of certain fungi. The breeding season in mainly after the first rains, in India most records are from March to July. Late records in August when the rains were delayed have been noted in India. The wide distribution consists of several populations that have been designated as subspecies. These include boavistae of the Cape Verde Islands, the nominate alaudipes of the north African Sahara region and northern Arabia. Subspecies desertorum has been assigned to the populations along the Red Sea coast while the eastern population of Iraq, Pakistan and northwestern India are assigned to doriae. Forms like pallida and variety cinerea are included in doriae. [INFORMATION : WIKIPEDIA]