Eremopterix signatus
Silhouette: Gossipguy and T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~70% in a week >90%
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 |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Lark sighting in Tsavo East National Park on a given day, based on 340 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 40th most-seen of the 345 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April and October
In those months about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Lark in Tsavo East National Park on a given day, against about 20% in March and May–June, the lowest months.
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.
Yes
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Lark sightings, Tsavo East National Park has the highest daily chance: about 40%. Next come Samburu National Reserve (Kenya, about 10%) and Awash National Park (Ethiopia, under 5%).
Same genus: Eremopterix
The closest relatives of the Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Lark that you can see in Tsavo East National Park (genus Eremopterix, Sparrow-Larks) are Fischer's Sparrow-Lark (about 20%) and Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Lark is recorded against all the birds logged in Tsavo East National Park (340 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.
