It is greyer than the skylark, and lacks the white wing and tail edges of that species, which is a winter visitor to India.

It is very similar to the crested lark, which breeds in northern India.

Sykes's lark is another Indian relative that also has reddish-brown plumage, but is smaller, shorter-billed, with a stiff upright crest and has plain rufous underparts.

It is a common bird of open country, cultivation and scrub, often at some altitude.

The Malabar lark is a sedentary breeding bird that nests on the ground, laying two or three eggs.