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Ashy Crowned Sparrow Lark


Ashy Crowned Sparrow Lark
Photo Information
Copyright: Akshay Harith (S_Akshay) Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 30 W: 11 N: 117] (565)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-03
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon DSLR D200, Sigma100-300mm HSM APO with sigma 1.4XTC
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-07-19 9:44
Viewed: 242
Points: 8
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Passeriformes

Family: Alaudidae

Genus: Eremopterix

Species: E. grisea


Binomial name
Eremopterix grisea

The Ashy-crowned Sparrow-lark, Eremopterix grisea also known as the Ashy-crowned Finch-lark, is a passerine bird which is a resident breeder in Sri Lanka, Pakistan and India.

This lark is a bird of open dry habitats including scrub, stony wastes and cultivation. It nests on the ground and lays two or three eggs. The food is insects and seeds.

This is a small lark at 12 cm. The male is striking, with brown-black underparts and head apart from brilliant white patches on the nape and a grey crown. The upperparts and wings are pale grey, as is the thick bill.

The female Ashy-crowned Sparrow-lark is a drabber bird with pale brown-grey underparts and buff underparts fading to white on the belly. Dark grey underwing coverts are visible in flight. Young birds are like the female.

The male indulges in a spectacular display "song"-flight during the breeding season .He takes off from the ground flying directly up till he reaches a height of about 30-40 ft. from the ground. Here he closes his wings and dives straight down with his characteristic "sweeeeee..." whistle, making like a missile homing onto its target. He remains in the dive till he almost crashes to the ground, where he abruptly pulls up and flies up again to repeat the manoeuvre. The bird's plumage blends so well with its habitat that the bird, secure in this knowledge, remains motionless and only whirrs away when almost trampled upon.
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Arjun Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 290 W: 3 N: 715] (3332)
  • [2008-07-19 10:15]

hi akshay,
Lovely picture..good compo and lighting..the BG is awesome
TFS

Hello Akshay,
Well done. Excellent lighting, posture, perch, BG,...
A minor critique is..actually it is not a critique, I'm hardly a bit puzzled about the white halo-effect around some parts of the bird. I'm not seasoned in different sharpening techniques but I personally try to avoid these halos through decreasing the sharpening level or maybe even better selective sharpening etc.
Very good note.
Don't worry;-)...well done!
TFS
Annick

nice portrait, no need for the frame, TFS Ori

Hello Junior,

The picture has everything, good compo, bg, dof....only catch light is missing...otherwise its really good one.

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