Mirafra hova
Silhouette: Gossipguy and T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The Madagascar lark (Eremopterix hova) is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae endemic to Madagascar. The Madagascar lark was described by the German ornithologist Gustav Hartlaub in 1860, who placed it within the genus Mirafra. The specific name, hova, refers to the Hova, a caste in the precolonial Kingdom of Madagascar. It remained in the genus Mirafra until a 2013 study of the genetics of the family lead by Per Alström unexpectedly placed it with the genus Eremopterix, where it was moved to in 2014. The relationships of the Madagascar lark within this genus are not yet fully understood. Alternative names for the Madagascar lark include Hova lark, Madagascan bush lark, Madagascar singing bushlark, and Madagascar sparrow lark.
The Madagascar lark is very similar to many of the other Mirafra larks to which it was formerly thought to be related. It is a small lark, 13 cm long, with greyish-brown upperparts streaked with darker brown, and whitish below with blackish streaks or spots on the upper breast; the wings are dark brown with paler fringes on the primary and secondary feathers often visible as a pale panel on the closed wing... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berenty Reserve | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 2 | Ankarafantsika National Park | 🇲🇬 Madagascar |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Antananarivo | 🇲🇬 Madagascar |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Madagascar Lark sighting in Ankarafantsika National Park on a given day, based on 13 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 71st most-seen of the 83 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June, August and December
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Madagascar Lark in Ankarafantsika National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April, July and September–November, the lowest months. January–March and May have too few records to rate.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Madagascar Lark sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Madagascar Lark sightings, Ankarafantsika National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Berenty Reserve (Madagascar, about 30%).
Same order: Passeriformes
The closest relatives of the Madagascar Lark that you can see in Ankarafantsika National Park (order Passeriformes, Perching Birds) are Crested Drongo (about 90%), Madagascar Paradise-Flycatcher (about 90%) and Madagascar Bulbul (about 90%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Madagascar Lark is recorded against all the birds logged in Ankarafantsika National Park (13 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
