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Rufous Songlark

(Cincloramphus mathewsi)
Alternative names: "Rufous-rumped Singing-lark", "Singing Lark", "Skylark"
Size: 16-19 cm

Habitat
(for details refer to a field guide)

Rufous Songlarks are endemic to Australia. They breed in the south-eastern and western parts of the continent and extend their range in winter. During the breeding season they are found in the western third of WA, from the south-western corner to the catchments of the Gascoyne River and the Yannarie River. In the south-east the breeding range extends from south-eastern SA (up to Coober Pedy as the north-western delimiter), all through VIC and NSW plus south-eastern QLD (from about Innamincka, just across the border in SA, to about the Whitsundays. Outside the breeding season they migrate northwards and into other parts of the interior. Their range then encompasses the entire continent except the top of Cape York peninsula; they only rarely venture into the deserts in the western half of WA.

Rufous Songlarks can be found in open woodland, with scattered trees and open grassland in between. The males will use the trees as demarcations of their territories, while the females nest somewhere in the open grassland.

Sightings

A Rufous Songlark couple stayed at our place, 20 km south of Narrabri, NSW, during the summer of 2004.

A pair of Rufous Songlarks were permanent residents 20 km east of Narrabri during the summer of 2006. After their winter absence, they returned in late August 2007. Spotted at the time in various locations in the Narrabri area. At least 3 pairs had their adjacent territories around the house in the summer of 2007/08, leading to remarkable singing contests between the males.

A Rufous Songlark was spotted by us 20 km east of Narrabri in August 2008, i.e. at the end of winter, when the nights still brought regular frost. It is not clear whether they had left for the winter (which was mild overall) or had decided to stay, like other normally migratory birds. The day after major rainfall, with associated northerly ahead of the front, the first territorial calls started ringing around the property at the beginning of September 2008. As a contrast, territorial calls of a Rufous Songlark could be heard around our place in the 2010/11 season starting in December.

While obviously at home in open farmland, with paddocks and some single trees, also found by us in October 2008 30 km east of Narrabri, in the foothills of the Nandewar Range, in open eucalypt forest with sparse undergrowth.

Also seen by us near Gwabegar, NSW, in December 2011.

Photos

Male Rufous Songlark in a treetop

The same male Rufous Songlark starting its song

Here the female he is trying to lure; she is sitting lower in the same tree

Rufous Songlark on our lawn

Here a curious Rufous Songlark inspecting the photographer who had stopped his car on a dirt road

Here a resident of the 2007/08 season

Close-up view of an immature Rufous Songlark; spotted in the summer of 2005, 20 km south of Narrabri

Another immature Rufous Songlark...

... seen here at a different angle

Fledgling Rufous Songlark calling to be fed

Its sibling had the same idea

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial Mobility: Migratory Elementary unit: Pair

The males are prolific singers, either while perched as shown in a photo below or in flight. The display flight is slow, while chirping with curved back. They move around various conspicuous places to mark the boundaries of their territory.

Rufous Songlarks are ground-nesting birds. As such they need tall grass for nesting. Since 2009 we have our paddock slashed in winter. Since then we have not seen Rufous Songlarks on our property (although we do leave tall grass standing on a part of the property at a distance of 200 m from the house). This may relate to the fact that we regularly observe feral cats in the area.