Friedmann's lark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Friedmann's lark |
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Mirafra
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| Species: |
pulpa
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The Friedmann's lark (Mirafra pulpa) is a small bird that belongs to the lark family. You can find this special bird in parts of East Africa.
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What is a Friedmann's Lark?
Sometimes, scientists group animals together based on how similar they are. This is called taxonomy. For a while, some experts thought the Friedmann's lark was just a type of singing bush lark. This bird has a few other names too! People sometimes call it the Friedmann's bush lark, the rufous lark, or the Sagon lark.
How to Spot a Friedmann's Lark
This lark is quite shy, but you can often find it by listening for its unique song! It sings a long, drawn-out note that sounds like hoo-ee-oo. The "ee" part is a little bit stronger. It repeats this song every 1 or 2 seconds. You might hear it more often at night. The lark sings from the top of a bush or while flying in a wavy pattern.
Where Friedmann's Larks Live
Friedmann's larks live in southern Ethiopia, central and southeastern Kenya, and northeastern Tanzania. However, we don't know much about how many there are or exactly where they live. The first time scientists officially collected a sample of this bird was in Ethiopia in 1992. It was seen only once more in 1998. Most of what we know comes from Tsavo East and West National Parks in Kenya. There are also a few sightings from Tanzania, near Mkomazi Game Reserve.
Preferred Homes
These larks like to live in subtropical or tropical dry lowland grasslands. They are shy birds and seem to prefer areas that are a bit wetter or have thicker grass. They also like places with more bushes for cover. This is different from many other lark species, which prefer drier, more open areas.
What Friedmann's Larks Do
You usually see Friedmann's larks only at certain times of the year. For example, in Tanzania, they are often seen during the rainy season. They are also often seen with other birds that travel. This might mean that Friedmann's larks are migratory birds, meaning they travel to different places at different times of the year. But scientists need more information to be sure.
What They Eat
Friedmann's larks mainly eat small insects. This includes beetles and grasshoppers. They also enjoy eating grass seeds.
