Melanocorypha yeltoniensis

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Euavialae
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Cladus: Telluraves
Cladus: Australaves
Ordo: Passeriformes
Subordo: Passeri
Infraordo: Passerida
Superfamilia: Passeroidea

Familia: Alaudidae
Genus: Melanocorypha
Species: Melanocorypha yeltoniensis
Name

Melanocorypha yeltoniensis (Forster, 1767)
Vernacular names
български: Черна чучулига
English: Black Lark
español: Calandria negra
suomi: Mustakiuru
magyar: Szerecsenpacsirta
հայերեն: Սև արտույտ
svenska: Svartlärka
Türkçe: Kara toygar

The black lark (Melanocorypha yeltoniensis) is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in south-eastern Russia and Kazakhstan.
Taxonomy and systematics

The black lark was originally placed in the genus Alauda.[2] The current genus name is from Ancient Greek. Melanocorypha is from melas, "black", and koruphos a term used by ancient writers for a now unknown bird, but here confused with korudos, "lark". The specific yeltoniensis is from Lake Yelton in the Volgograd region of Russia.[3]
Description

This is a large, robust lark, 18–20.5 cm (7.1–8.1 in) in length. The adult male is unmistakable, being all black with some pale feather fringes on its back, and with a yellowish or pink bill. The female is undistinguished in comparison, mainly dark-blotched grey above and paler below. Her legs and underwing are black.

The song is like a frantic version of that of Eurasian skylark.
Distribution and habitat

This is a bird of open steppe, often near water. It is partially migratory, with birds from the northwest of its breeding range moving south-east to winter further into Russia and neighbouring countries, as far as the northern Black Sea coasts in southern Ukraine.

The black lark is a very rare vagrant away from its breeding range, with records during both spring and autumn passage periods, and also in winter; the following is a complete list of European records away from the breeding range and normal wintering range as of 2005.[citation needed]

1803 Italy. A male at Alessandria, Piedmont, on an unknown date in autumn
19th Century Austria. Three males, one shot, at Breitensee, Vienna, on an unknown date between 1857 & 1874
1874 North Sea. A female on Heligoland (then British) on 27 April
1892 North Sea. A male on Heligoland (then German) on 27 July
1897 Moldova. One in March
1900 Romania. One in Dobruja in March
1914 Turkey. One at Küçükçekmece, Istanbul, on 14 October
1929 Malta. One in winter
1930 Greece. One at Athens in spring
1958 Greece A male at Athens on 20 April
1961 Italy. One at Manfredonia, Apulia, on 3 May
1963 Greece. A flock of eight at Lake Koronia on 20 February
1964 Greece. Two at the Axios Delta on 8 February
1981 Czech Republic. A male at Zakupy on 28 November
1984 Great Britain. (England) A male at Spurn, Yorkshire on 27 April
1988 Poland. One at Kosienice on 17 January
1989 Finland. A male at Joensuu on 24 March
1989 Finland. A male at Korpo on 8 April
1993 Sweden. A male at Karlstad on 6 & 7 May
1995 Bulgaria. A female at Cape Kaliakra on 25 May
2003 Great Britain. (Wales) A male at RSPB South Stack, Anglesey from 1 to 8 June

An individual was also recorded on an unknown date (prior to 2003) in Lebanon.
Behaviour and ecology

Its nest is on the ground, with 4–5 eggs being laid. Food is seeds and insects, the latter especially in the breeding season. It is gregarious in winter.
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Melanocorypha yeltoniensis.
Wikispecies has information related to Melanocorypha yeltoniensis.

BirdLife International (2016). "Melanocorypha yeltoniensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22717301A90011765. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22717301A90011765.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
"Melanocorypha yeltoniensis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-15.
Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 247, 412. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.