1998-4 - Dutch Birding

Masiers oÍ Myster y
northern populations are blacker than those from
southern populations). Brunnich's would also
have the white on the head more restricted to the
lower half of the head-side .
This Common Guillernot in winter plumage
was photographed at Lauwersoog• Groningen,
Net herlands, on 4 February 1988 by Leo Boon .
Another photograph of the same hird appears as
plate 135 . It was identified correctly h•v only six
entra nts; incorrect answers consisted of a wild
variety oi waterbirds such as Harlequin Duck
Histrionicus histrionicus I 40% ,j, Little Auk (17°l. ),
Br (innich's Guillemot ~14 1%l, Razorbill (12')1„),
Puffin Fratercuha irctica (10'4~}, Black-thro~ted
Diver Gavia artica, Great Shearwater Putfinus
hravis and Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus
loha tu .c .
V! This passerine with streaked upperparts, neck
and crown is ohviously a lark ; note, for instance,
the hroad (and abraded) tertials of the mystery
hird which are typical for larks, whereas the tertials
of pipits are much narrower. A prominent
feature in rhe photot;raph is the long, rather slim
and pointed bill which recalls Dupont's Lark
Chersophilus dt iponti. A closer look, however,
exposes several teatures that do not fit Dupont's .
Most importantly, the bottom edge ot the lower
mandible is straight in the mvstery bird and not
down-curved as in Dupont's . Furthermore, the
crown is evenly dlrk-streaked, not showing the
darker lateral crown stripes or Dupont's . Also,
the scapulars are diftusel•v dark-centred ; in
Dupont's, the scapulars have darker centres and
are sharply fringed with pale• giving a scaly
appearance . Raso Lark Alauda razae, endemic to
the Cape VErde Islands, is characterized by a
long, deep-hased bill, still heavier and not as
sharply pointed as that ot the mystery bird . Raso
also has a large.l•v pale grey bill and rather pale
ear-coverts {clearlv paler than the crownl, unlike
the mystery bird .
The striking bill-shape of the mystery bird also
does not fit many other lark species (including all
membe(s of the genera Calanclrelfa and
h9elanucorypha), because these species have
shorter, thicker and less pointed bills . Bills more
similar to that of the mystery bird are iound in
Crested Lark Galerida cristata (less so in Thekla
Lark G theklae ), Wood Lark Lul1ula arborea, Sky
Lark A arvensis and Oriental Lark A,s;ulgula ( also
known as Small Skylark) . Crested can be excludcd
as this species should show a clistinct crest
(which may seem absent occasionally), a darke r
13 6 ()rienral Lark 1 Kteine Veldieeuwerik Alaud.a gulgula, Eflat, Israel, 29 November 1 I iv 2 rLco 1 R 8oun/Cursori u
91,,, •~
4h..._~ .
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