Eremopterix signatus
Silhouette: Gossipguy and T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The chestnut-headed sparrow-lark (Eremopterix signatus) or chestnut-headed finch-lark is a species of passerine bird in the family Alaudidae. It is found in eastern and north-eastern Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, and hot deserts.
The male chestnut-headed sparrow-lark has a black collar and bib, white cheeks and a white circular area on the nape of the crown, surrounded by a chestnut border. This distinguishes it from Fischer's sparrow-lark which lacks the white spot. The female has duller plumage.
This bird is usually found in pairs or small flocks of up to forty birds, often around water holes. It flies low to the ground and may sing in flight or when standing on bare ground. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tsavo East National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 2 | Samburu National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 3 | Awash National Park | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | |
| 4 | Tsavo West National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Lark sighting in Awash National Park on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 199th most-seen of the 217 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Lark in Awash National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April, July and October–January, the lowest months. That is one of Awash National Park's wettest months, with about 85 mm of rain against 10 mm in January. February–March, May and September have too few records to rate.
Between 3 and 6 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Chestnut-headed Sparrow-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.
3rd of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Lark sightings, Awash National Park ranks 3rd at under 5%. The best odds are in Tsavo East National Park (Kenya, about 40%) and Samburu National Reserve (Kenya, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Lark is recorded against all the birds logged in Awash National Park (5 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.
