Black Lark

The black lark is a large, robust lark, 18–20.5cm long, found in south-eastern Russia and Kazakhstan. The adult male is unmistakable, all black with some pale feather fringes on the back and a yellowish or pink bill, while the female is undistinguished, mainly dark-blotched grey above (Wikipedia, general species account).

It nests on the ground, laying four or five eggs. The song is like a frantic version of the Eurasian skylark's. It is partially migratory, with birds from the north-west of the breeding range moving south-east to winter further into Russia and neighbouring countries. The source does not describe its status in China (Wikipedia, general species account).