Lark
Encyclopedia
Larks are passerine
bird
s of the family Alaudidae. All species occur in the Old World
, and in northern and eastern Australia
; only one, the Shore Lark
, has spread to North America
, where it is called the Horned Lark. Habitats vary widely, but many species live in dry regions.
They have more elaborate calls than most birds, and often extravagant songs
given in display flight (Kikkawa 2003). These melodious sounds (to human ears), combined with a willingness to expand into anthropogenic
habitats — as long as these are not too intensively managed — have ensured larks a prominent place in literature and music, especially the Skylark
in northern Europe and the Crested Lark
and Calandra Lark
in southern Europe.
With these song flights, males defend their breeding territories and attract mates. Most species build nests on the ground, usually cups of dead grass, but in some species more complicated and partly domed. A few desert species nest very low in bushes, perhaps so circulating air can cool the nest. Larks' egg
s are usually speckled, and clutch sizes range from 2 (especially in species of the driest deserts) to 6 (in species of temperate regions). Larks incubate for 11 to 16 days (Kikkawa 2003).
Like many ground birds, most lark species have long hind claws, which are thought to provide stability while standing. Most have streaked brown plumage, some boldly marked with black or white. Their dull appearance camouflage
s them on the ground, especially when on the nest. They feed on insect
s and seed
s; though adults of most species eat seeds primarily, all species feed their young insects for at least the first week after hatching. Many species dig with their bills to uncover food. Some larks have heavy bills (reaching an extreme in the Thick-billed Lark
) for cracking seeds open, while others have long, down-curved bills, which are especially suitable for digging (Kikkawa 2003).
Larks are the only passerines that lose all their feathers in their first moult
(in all species whose first moult is known). This may result from the poor quality of the chicks' feathers, which in turn may result from the benefits to the parents of switching the young to a lower-quality diet (seeds), which requires less work from the parents (Kikkawa 2003).
In many respects, including long tertial feathers
, larks resemble other ground birds such as pipit
s. However, in larks the tarsus
(the lowest leg bone, connected to the toes) has only one set of scales on the rear surface, which is rounded. Pipits and all other songbird
s have two plates of scales on the rear surface, which meet at a protruding rear edge (Ridgway 1907).
s, for example in the American Ornithologists' Union
's first check-list (American Ornithologists' Union 1886, according to Patterson 2002). Some authorities, such as the British Ornithologists' Union
(Dudley et al. 2006) and the Handbook of the Birds of the World
, adhere to that placement. However, many other classifications follow the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy
in placing the larks in a large oscine subgroup Passerida
(which excludes crows
, shrike
s and their allies, vireos, and many groups characteristic of Australia
and southeastern Asia
). For instance, the American Ornithologists' Union places larks just after the crows, shrikes, and vireos. At a finer level of detail, some now place the larks at the beginning of a superfamily
Sylvioidea with the swallows, various "Old World warbler
" and "babbler
" groups, and others
(Barker et al. 2002, Alström et al. 2006).
. They can be used in a number of dishes, for example, they can be stewed, broiled, or used as filling in a meat pie
. Lark's tongue
s were particularly highly valued. In modern times, shrinking habitats made lark meat rare and hard to come by, though it can still be found in restaurants in Italy and elsewhere in Southern Europe.
Following an 1876 ban on lark hunting in Leipzig, which was known for its lark dishes, bakers invented the Leipziger Lerche
, a shortcrust pastry dish filled with either marzipan, or crushed almonds, nuts and strawberry jam.
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s of the family Alaudidae. All species occur in the Old World
Old World
The Old World consists of those parts of the world known to classical antiquity and the European Middle Ages. It is used in the context of, and contrast with, the "New World" ....
, and in northern and eastern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
; only one, the Shore Lark
Shore Lark
The Shore Lark , called the Horned Lark in North America, is a species of bird in the genus Eremophila.- Description :...
, has spread to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, where it is called the Horned Lark. Habitats vary widely, but many species live in dry regions.
Description
Larks are small to medium-sized birds, 12 to 24 cm (5 to 8 inches) in length and 15 to 75 grams (0.5 to 2.6 ounces) in weight (Kikkawa 2003).They have more elaborate calls than most birds, and often extravagant songs
Bird song
Bird vocalization includes both bird calls and bird songs. In non-technical use, bird songs are the bird sounds that are melodious to the human ear. In ornithology and birding, songs are distinguished by function from calls.-Definition:The distinction between songs and calls is based upon...
given in display flight (Kikkawa 2003). These melodious sounds (to human ears), combined with a willingness to expand into anthropogenic
Anthropogenic
Human impact on the environment or anthropogenic impact on the environment includes impacts on biophysical environments, biodiversity and other resources. The term anthropogenic designates an effect or object resulting from human activity. The term was first used in the technical sense by Russian...
habitats — as long as these are not too intensively managed — have ensured larks a prominent place in literature and music, especially the Skylark
Skylark
The Skylark is a small passerine bird species. This lark breeds across most of Europe and Asia and in the mountains of north Africa. It is mainly resident in the west of its range, but eastern populations are more migratory, moving further south in winter. Even in the milder west of its range,...
in northern Europe and the Crested Lark
Crested Lark
The Crested Lark, Galerida cristata, breeds across most of temperate Eurasia from Portugal to northeast China and eastern India, and in Africa south to Niger...
and Calandra Lark
Calandra Lark
The Calandra Lark, Melanocorypha calandra, breeds in warm temperate countries around the Mediterranean and eastwards through Turkey into northern Iran and southern Russia...
in southern Europe.
With these song flights, males defend their breeding territories and attract mates. Most species build nests on the ground, usually cups of dead grass, but in some species more complicated and partly domed. A few desert species nest very low in bushes, perhaps so circulating air can cool the nest. Larks' egg
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
s are usually speckled, and clutch sizes range from 2 (especially in species of the driest deserts) to 6 (in species of temperate regions). Larks incubate for 11 to 16 days (Kikkawa 2003).
Like many ground birds, most lark species have long hind claws, which are thought to provide stability while standing. Most have streaked brown plumage, some boldly marked with black or white. Their dull appearance camouflage
Camouflage
Camouflage is a method of concealment that allows an otherwise visible animal, military vehicle, or other object to remain unnoticed, by blending with its environment. Examples include a leopard's spotted coat, the battledress of a modern soldier and a leaf-mimic butterfly...
s them on the ground, especially when on the nest. They feed on insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s and seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
s; though adults of most species eat seeds primarily, all species feed their young insects for at least the first week after hatching. Many species dig with their bills to uncover food. Some larks have heavy bills (reaching an extreme in the Thick-billed Lark
Thick-billed Lark
The Thick-billed Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Rhamphocoris...
) for cracking seeds open, while others have long, down-curved bills, which are especially suitable for digging (Kikkawa 2003).
Larks are the only passerines that lose all their feathers in their first moult
Moult
In biology, moulting or molting , also known as sloughing, shedding, or for some species, ecdysis, is the manner in which an animal routinely casts off a part of its body , either at specific times of year, or at specific points in its life cycle.Moulting can involve the epidermis , pelage...
(in all species whose first moult is known). This may result from the poor quality of the chicks' feathers, which in turn may result from the benefits to the parents of switching the young to a lower-quality diet (seeds), which requires less work from the parents (Kikkawa 2003).
In many respects, including long tertial feathers
Bird anatomy
Bird anatomy, or the physiological structure of birds' bodies, shows many unique adaptations, mostly aiding flight. Birds have a light skeletal system and light but powerful musculature which, along with circulatory and respiratory systems capable of very high metabolic rates and oxygen supply,...
, larks resemble other ground birds such as pipit
Pipit
The pipits are a cosmopolitan genus, Anthus, of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. Along with the wagtails and longclaws, the pipits make up the family Motacillidae...
s. However, in larks the tarsus
Tarsus (skeleton)
In tetrapods, the tarsus is a cluster of articulating bones in each foot situated between the lower end of tibia and fibula of the lower leg and the metatarsus. In the foot the tarsus articulates with the bones of the metatarsus, which in turn articulate with the bones of the individual toes...
(the lowest leg bone, connected to the toes) has only one set of scales on the rear surface, which is rounded. Pipits and all other songbird
Songbird
A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds . Another name that is sometimes seen as scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin oscen, "a songbird"...
s have two plates of scales on the rear surface, which meet at a protruding rear edge (Ridgway 1907).
Relationships
Larks are a well-defined family, partly because of the shape of their tarsus (Ridgway 1907). They were long placed at or near the beginning of the songbirds or oscines (now often called Passeri), just after the suboscines and before the swallowSwallow
The swallows and martins are a group of passerine birds in the family Hirundinidae which are characterised by their adaptation to aerial feeding...
s, for example in the American Ornithologists' Union
American Ornithologists' Union
The American Ornithologists' Union is an ornithological organization in the USA. Unlike the National Audubon Society, its members are primarily professional ornithologists rather than amateur birders...
's first check-list (American Ornithologists' Union 1886, according to Patterson 2002). Some authorities, such as the British Ornithologists' Union
British Ornithologists' Union
The British Ornithologists' Union aims to encourage the study of birds in Britain, Europe and elsewhere, in order to understand their biology and to aid their conservation....
(Dudley et al. 2006) and the Handbook of the Birds of the World
Handbook of the Birds of the World
The Handbook of the Birds of the World is a multi-volume series produced by the Spanish publishing house Lynx Edicions. It is the first handbook to cover every known living species of bird. The series is edited by Josep del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott, Jordi Sargatal and David A Christie.So far, 15...
, adhere to that placement. However, many other classifications follow the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy
Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy
The Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy is a bird taxonomy proposed by Charles Sibley and Jon Edward Ahlquist. It is based on DNA-DNA hybridization studies conducted in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s....
in placing the larks in a large oscine subgroup Passerida
Passerida
Passerida is under the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy, one of two "parvorders" contained within the suborder Passeri...
(which excludes crows
Corvidae
Corvidae is a cosmopolitan family of oscine passerine birds that contains the crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, jays, magpies, treepies, choughs and nutcrackers. The common English names used are corvids or the crow family , and there are over 120 species...
, shrike
Shrike
Shrikes are passerine birds of the family Laniidae. The family is composed of thirty-one species in three genera. The family name, and that of the largest genus, Lanius, is derived from the Latin word for "butcher", and some shrikes were also known as "butcher birds" because of their feeding habits...
s and their allies, vireos, and many groups characteristic of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and southeastern Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
). For instance, the American Ornithologists' Union places larks just after the crows, shrikes, and vireos. At a finer level of detail, some now place the larks at the beginning of a superfamily
Taxonomic rank
In biological classification, rank is the level in a taxonomic hierarchy. Examples of taxonomic ranks are species, genus, family, and class. Each rank subsumes under it a number of less general categories...
Sylvioidea with the swallows, various "Old World warbler
Old World warbler
The "Old World Warblers" is the name used to describe a large group of birds formerly grouped together in the bird family Sylviidae. The family held over 400 species in over 70 genera, and were the source of much taxonomic confusion. Two families were split out initially, the cisticolas into...
" and "babbler
Babbler
Babbler may refer to:* Old World babbler, a large family of mostly Old World passerine birds* Australo-Papuan babbler, passerine birds endemic to Australia-New Guinea* The Babbler, the journal of BirdLife International in Indochina...
" groups, and others
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
(Barker et al. 2002, Alström et al. 2006).
Larks as food
Larks, commonly consumed with bones intact, have historically been considered wholesome, delicate, and light gameGame (food)
Game is any animal hunted for food or not normally domesticated. Game animals are also hunted for sport.The type and range of animals hunted for food varies in different parts of the world. This will be influenced by climate, animal diversity, local taste and locally accepted view about what can or...
. They can be used in a number of dishes, for example, they can be stewed, broiled, or used as filling in a meat pie
Game pie
Game pie is a form of meat pie featuring game. The dish dates from Roman times when the main ingredients were wild birds and animals such as partridge, pheasant, deer, and hare. The pies reached their most elaborate form in Victorian England, with complex recipes and specialized moulds and serving...
. Lark's tongue
Tongue
The tongue is a muscular hydrostat on the floors of the mouths of most vertebrates which manipulates food for mastication. It is the primary organ of taste , as much of the upper surface of the tongue is covered in papillae and taste buds. It is sensitive and kept moist by saliva, and is richly...
s were particularly highly valued. In modern times, shrinking habitats made lark meat rare and hard to come by, though it can still be found in restaurants in Italy and elsewhere in Southern Europe.
Following an 1876 ban on lark hunting in Leipzig, which was known for its lark dishes, bakers invented the Leipziger Lerche
Leipziger Lerche
The Leipziger Lerche is a pastry of Leipzig. The name originates from the singing bird lark which was roasted with herbs and eggs or served as a filling in pastries...
, a shortcrust pastry dish filled with either marzipan, or crushed almonds, nuts and strawberry jam.
Species in taxonomic order
FAMILY: ALAUDIDAE- Genus: MirafraMirafraMirafra is a genus of lark in the Alaudidae family. Three of its species are sometimes separated in Calendulauda. Some Mirafra species are called "larks", while others are called "bushlarks".-Species list in taxonomic order:Mirafra larks...
- Monotonous LarkMonotonous LarkThe Monotonous Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.- Range :The range of M. Passerina is quite broad, extending over six countries in Africa; Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe...
, Mirafra passerina - Singing BushlarkSinging BushlarkThe Singing Bush Lark is a species of lark found in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.- Range and population :The range of M. cantillans is quite extensive, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 10,000,000 km2; and its global population is thought to be large, though it has...
, Mirafra cantillans - Australasian BushlarkAustralasian BushlarkHorsfield's Bush Lark or Australasian Bushlark, , inhabits grassland throughout most of Australia and much of Southeast Asia.- Identification :M. javanica is brown with grey streaks and mottling.- Range :...
, Mirafra javanica - Latakoo LarkLatakoo LarkThe Latakoo Lark or Melodious Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family, that is currently threatened by habitat loss.- Range and population :...
, Mirafra cheniana - White-tailed LarkWhite-tailed LarkThe White-tailed Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.- Range :The range of M. albicauda is quite large, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 430,000 square km., endemic in Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.- Habitat :The...
, Mirafra albicauda - Madagascar LarkMadagascar LarkThe Madagascar Lark is a species of lark endemic to Madagascar in the Alaudidae family.- Range and population :The range of the Madagascar Lark is large, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence between 100,000 and 1,000,000 km2.- Habitat :Its natural habitats are dry savanna and...
, Mirafra hova - Kordofan LarkKordofan LarkThe Kordofan Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.- Range :The Kordofan Lark has a range that is quite large spanning seven African nations; Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and Sudan...
, Mirafra cordofanica - Williams's LarkWilliams's LarkThe Williams's Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family. Discovered in 1955, much of its life and ecology is still a mystery to ornithology.- Range and habitats :...
, Mirafra williamsi - Friedmann's LarkFriedmann's LarkThe Friedmann's Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.- Range & population :Friedmann's Lark is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania, but its population and real range is very poorly known....
, Mirafra pulpa - Red-winged LarkRed-winged LarkThe Red-winged Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.- Population and range :The range of Red-winged Lark is quite extensive within Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 660,000 km2.Its total population has yet to...
, Mirafra hypermetra - Somali Long-billed Lark, Mirafra somalica
- Ash's LarkAsh's LarkThe Ash's Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is endemic to Somalia.- Identification :In the case of some lark species, as with Ash's Lark it is hard to describe definitively without having to compare its characters with those of some of its close relatives...
, Mirafra ashi - Angola LarkAngola LarkThe Angola Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.-Range and population:The range of Mirafra angolensis is sizable, within Angola, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia...
, Mirafra angolensis - Rufous-naped LarkRufous-naped LarkThe Rufous-naped Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.- Range :The Rufous-naped lark's range is very large, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 5,600,000 square km...
, Mirafra africana - Flappet LarkFlappet LarkThe Flappet Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.- Range and population :Mirafra rufocinnamomea has a large range covering much of the African continent with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 10,000,000 square km...
, Mirafra rufocinnamomea - Clapper LarkClapper LarkThe Clapper Lark, Mirafra apiata, is a small passerine bird which breeds in southern Africa. It derives its name from the wing clapping which forms part of the display flight....
, Mirafra apiata - Collared LarkCollared LarkThe Collared Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.- Range and population :Mirafra collaris has a considerable range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 530,000 square km. over Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia....
, Mirafra collaris - Indian BushlarkIndian BushlarkThe Indian Bush Lark, Indian Bushlark or Red-winged Bushlark is a species of bushlark found in South Asia mainly in India.-Description:...
or Red-winged Bushlark, Mirafra erythroptera - Gillett's LarkGillett's LarkThe Gillett's Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.- Range :Mirafra gilletti has a somewhat wide range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 690,000 square km. over Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia....
, Mirafra gilletti - Fawn-colored Lark, Mirafra africanoides (sometimes placed in Calendulauda)
- Rufous-winged BushlarkRufous-winged BushlarkThe Rufous-winged Bush Lark is a small passerine bird.- Description :It is short-tailed and has a strong stout bill. In size it is not as long as the Skylark, measuring about 15 centimeters...
, Mirafra assamica - Jerdon's BushlarkJerdon's BushlarkThe Jerdon's Bushlark is a lark of the open countryside found in southern India. This species was earlier considered a subspecies of the Rufous-winged Bushlark . However recent studies of differences in call and distribution have led to it being treated as a full species.-Description:M...
Mirafra affinis - Rusty LarkRusty LarkThe Rusty Bush Lark , also known as the Rusty Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.-Distribution and habitat:...
, Mirafra rufa - Pink-breasted LarkPink-breasted LarkThe pink-breasted lark is a species of passerine bird in the Alaudidae family.- Range :M. poecilosterna is estimated to have a global Extent of Occurrence of 560,000 km2...
, Mirafra poecilosterna (sometimes placed in Calendulauda) - Degodi LarkDegodi LarkThe Degodi Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family endemic to Ethiopia.- Identification :A small , slender lark, with abundant streaking, very similar to a pipit, Anthus. Markings on breast faint on light, buff underbelly...
, Mirafra degodiensis - Sabota LarkSabota LarkThe Sabota Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.- Range :M. sabota has a vast range spanning the countries of Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe...
, Mirafra sabota(sometimes placed in Calendulauda)
- Monotonous Lark
- Genus: PinarocorysPinarocorysPinarocorys is a genus of larks in the Alaudidae family.It contains the following species:* Rufous-rumped Lark * Dusky Lark...
- Rufous-rumped LarkRufous-rumped LarkThe Rufous-rumped Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is found in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, and Uganda.Its natural...
, Pinarocorys erythropygia - Dusky LarkDusky LarkThe Dusky Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe....
, Pinarocorys nigricans
- Rufous-rumped Lark
- Genus: HeteromirafraHeteromirafraHeteromirafra is a genus of lark in the Alaudidae family.It contains the following species:* Archer's Lark * Sidamo Lark * Rudd's Lark...
- Archer's LarkArcher's LarkThe Archer's Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family. It is endemic to Somalia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:* BirdLife International 2005. . Downloaded...
, Heteromirafra archeri - Sidamo LarkSidamo LarkThe Sidamo Lark , also known as Liben Lark, is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family. It is endemic to Ethiopia. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss and unlike previously believed its population is rapidly...
, Heteromirafra sidamoensis - Rudd's LarkRudd's LarkThe Rudd's Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family. It is endemic to South Africa.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
, Heteromirafra ruddi
- Archer's Lark
- Genus: CerthilaudaCerthilaudaCerthilauda is a genus of larks in the Alaudidae family living in southwestern and southern regions of Africa.It contains the following species:* Long-billed Lark * Agulhas Long-billed Lark...
- Cape Lark, Certhilauda curvirostris
- Algulhas Long-billed Lark, Certhilauda brevirostris
- Eastern Long-billed LarkEastern Long-billed LarkThe Eastern Long-billed Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is found in Lesotho, South Africa, and Swaziland.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.-References:...
, Certhilauda semitorquata - Karoo Long-billed LarkKaroo Long-billed LarkThe Karoo Long-billed Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is found in Namibia and South Africa.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.-References:...
, Certhilauda subcoronata - Benguela Lark, Certhilauda benguelensis
- Short-clawed LarkShort-clawed LarkThe Short-clawed Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is found in Botswana and South Africa.Its natural habitat is dry savanna....
, Certhilauda chuana - Dune LarkDune LarkThe Dune Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is endemic to Namibia.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.-References:...
, Certhilauda erythrochlamys - Karoo LarkKaroo LarkThe Karoo Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is endemic to South Africa.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.-References:...
, Certhilauda albescens - Barlow's LarkBarlow's LarkThe Barlow's Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is found in Namibia and South Africa.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
, Certhilauda barlowi - Ferruginous Lark, Certhilauda burra
- Genus: Chersomanes
- Spike-heeled LarkSpike-heeled LarkThe Spike-heeled Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Chersomanes....
, Chersomanes albofasciata
- Spike-heeled Lark
- Genus: EremopterixEremopterixEremopterix is the genus of sparrow-larks, songbirds in the family Alaudidae.It contains the following species:* Chestnut-backed Sparrow-lark, Eremopterix leucotis* Black-eared Sparrow-lark, Eremopterix australis...
- Black-eared Sparrow-larkBlack-eared Sparrow-larkThe Black-eared Sparrow-lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is found in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa....
, Eremopterix australis - Chestnut-backed Sparrow-larkChestnut-backed Sparrow-larkThe Chestnut-backed Sparrow-lark, Eremopterix leucotis, is a passerine bird which is a resident breeder in Africa south of the Sahara Desert.This lark is a bird of open dry habitats. It nests on the ground and lays one egg. The food is insects and seeds....
, Eremopterix leucotis - Black-crowned Sparrow-larkBlack-crowned Sparrow-larkThe Black-crowned Sparrow-lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is found in Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel and Palestine, Jordan, Kuwait, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia,...
, Eremopterix nigriceps - Grey-backed Sparrow-larkGrey-backed Sparrow-larkThe Grey-backed Sparrow-lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe....
, Eremopterix verticalis - Chestnut-headed Sparrow-larkChestnut-headed Sparrow-larkThe chestnut-headed sparrow-lark is a species of passerine bird in the Alaudidae family.It is found in Ethiopia, Israel, Kenya, Somalia and Sudan....
, Eremopterix signata - Fischer's Sparrow-larkFischer's Sparrow-larkThe Fischer's sparrow-lark is a species of passerine bird in the Alaudidae family.It is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia....
, Eremopterix leucopareia - Ashy-crowned Sparrow-larkAshy-crowned Sparrow-larkThe Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark also known as the Ashy-crowned Finch-lark or Black-bellied Finch-lark is a small sparrow sized member of the lark family...
, Eremopterix grisea
- Black-eared Sparrow-lark
- Genus: AmmomanesAmmomanesAmmomanes is a genus of lark in the Alaudidae family.It contains the following species:* Bar-tailed Lark * Rufous-tailed Lark * Desert Lark * Gray's Lark...
- Bar-tailed LarkBar-tailed LarkThe Bar-tailed Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is found in Afghanistan, Algeria, Cape Verde, Chad, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel and Palestine, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia,and...
, Ammomanes cincturus - Rufous-tailed Lark, Ammomanes phoenicurus
- Desert LarkDesert LarkThe Desert Lark, Ammomanes deserti, breeds in deserts and semi-deserts from the Sahara east through the Arabian peninsula and the Middle East to Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan....
, Ammomanes deserti - Gray's LarkGray's LarkThe Gray's Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is found in Angola and Namibia.Its natural habitat is hot deserts.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007....
, Ammomanes grayi
- Bar-tailed Lark
- Genus: Alaemon
- Greater Hoopoe-larkGreater Hoopoe-larkThe Greater Hoopoe-lark or Hoopoe Lark , is a passerine bird which is a breeding resident of arid, desert and semi-desert regions from the Cape Verde Islands across much of north Africa, through the Arabian peninsula , Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India...
, Alaemon alaudipes - Lesser Hoopoe-larkLesser Hoopoe-larkThe Lesser Hoopoe-lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family. It is endemic to Somalia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.-References:...
, Alaemon hamertoni
- Greater Hoopoe-lark
- Genus: Ramphocoris
- Thick-billed LarkThick-billed LarkThe Thick-billed Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Rhamphocoris...
, Ramphocoris clotbey
- Thick-billed Lark
- Genus: MelanocoryphaMelanocoryphaMelanocorypha is a small genus of birds in the lark family. Its members mainly occur in temperate Asia from Turkey through Central Asia to China, but the Calandra Lark also has an extensive European distribution around the Mediterranean...
- Calandra LarkCalandra LarkThe Calandra Lark, Melanocorypha calandra, breeds in warm temperate countries around the Mediterranean and eastwards through Turkey into northern Iran and southern Russia...
, Melanocorypha calandra - Bimaculated LarkBimaculated LarkThe Bimaculated Lark, Melanocorypha bimaculata, breeds in warm temperate countries eastwards from Turkey into Central Asia. It is the eastern counterpart of its relative, the Calandra Lark....
, Melanocorypha bimaculata - Tibetan LarkTibetan LarkThe Tibetan Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is found in Bhutan, China, and India.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007.-External links:*...
, Melanocorypha maxima - Mongolian LarkMongolian LarkThe Mongolian Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family. It is found in China, Mongolia, and Russia.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007....
, Melanocorypha mongolica - White-winged LarkWhite-winged LarkThe White-winged Lark is a species of lark found in central Asia, from the Caucasus east across temperate southern Asia and Kazakhstan. It is partially migratory, with birds tending to move south in winter. The southernmost birds are mainly resident...
, Melanocorypha leucoptera - Black LarkBlack LarkThe Black Lark, Melanocorypha yeltoniensis, breeds in southeast Russia and Kazakhstan. It is partially migratory, with birds from the northwest of its breeding range moving south-east to winter further into Russia and neighbouring countries, as far as the northern Black Sea coasts in southern...
, Melanocorypha yeltoniensis
- Calandra Lark
- Genus: CalandrellaCalandrellaCalandrella is a genus of lark in the Alaudidae family.It contains the following species:* Greater Short-toed Lark * Blanford's Lark * Erlanger's Lark...
- Greater Short-toed LarkGreater Short-toed LarkThe Greater Short-toed Lark or sometimes just Short-toed Lark is a small passerine bird. It breeds in southern Europe, northwest Africa, and across temperate Asia from Turkey and southern Russia to Mongolia. It is sometimes considered conspecific with Calandrella cinerea...
, Calandrella brachydactyla - Blanford's LarkBlanford's LarkBlanford's Lark or Blanford's Short-toed Lark is a small passerine bird of the lark family, Alaudidae. It occurs in north-east Africa and Arabia. Its name commemorates the English zoologist William Thomas Blanford. It was formerly included in either the Greater Short-toed Lark or the Red-capped...
, Calandrella blanfordi - Hume's LarkHume's LarkThe Hume's Short-toed Lark or Hume's Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is found in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24...
, Calandrella acutirostris - Lesser Short-toed LarkLesser Short-toed LarkThe Lesser Short-toed Lark is a small passerine bird. It breeds in Spain, north Africa, also including Turkey eastwards across the semi-deserts of central Asia to Mongolia and China....
, Calandrella rufescens - Red-capped LarkRed-capped LarkThe Red-capped Lark, Calandrella cinerea, is a small passerine bird. This lark breeds in the highlands of eastern Africa southwards from Ethiopia and northern Somalia. In the south, its range stretches across the continent to Angola and south to the Cape in South Africa.This is a species of short...
, Calandrella cinerea - Asian Short-toed LarkAsian Short-toed LarkThe Asian Short-toed Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is found in China, India, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, and Turkmenistan....
, Calandrella cheleensis - Sand LarkSand LarkThe Sand Lark, also known as India Short-toed Lark or Indian Sand Lark , is a small passerine bird in thelark family, largely resident in the rivervalleys of South Asia from Pakistan through sub-Himalayan...
, Calandrella raytal - Somali Short-toed Lark, Calandrella somalica
- Greater Short-toed Lark
- Genus: SpizocorysSpizocorysSpizocorys is a genus of larks in the Alaudidae family.It contains the following species:* Pink-billed Lark * Sclater's Lark * Obbia Lark...
- Pink-billed LarkPink-billed LarkThe Pink-billed Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is found in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Zambia.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.-References:...
, Spizocorys conirostris - Botha's LarkBotha's LarkThe Botha's Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is endemic to South Africa.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland and pastureland.It is threatened by habitat loss....
, Spizocorys fringillaris - Sclater's LarkSclater's LarkThe Sclater's Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is found in Namibia and South Africa.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:...
, Spizocorys sclateri - Obbia LarkObbia LarkThe Obbia Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family. It is endemic to Somalia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.-References:...
, Spizocorys obbiensis - Masked LarkMasked LarkThe Masked Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is found in Ethiopia and Kenya.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.-References:...
, Spizocorys personata
- Pink-billed Lark
- Genus: Eremalauda
- Dunn's LarkDunn's LarkDunn's Lark is a small passerine bird of the lark family. It is a desert bird which is found across parts of the Sahara and Arabia. There are two subspecies: E. d. dunni in the Sahara and E. d. eremodites in Arabia...
, Eremalauda dunni - Stark's LarkStark's LarkThe Stark's Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. Captain George Shelley named the species in honor of Arthur Stark.-References:* BirdLife...
, Eremalauda starki
- Dunn's Lark
- Genus: Chersophilus
- Dupont's LarkDupont's LarkThe Dupont's Lark is the only lark in the genus Chersophilus.-Description:Like most other larks, Dupont's Lark is an undistinguished looking species on the ground. It is 17–18 cm long, slim, with a long neck, long legs and a fine slightly curved bill...
, Chersophilus duponti
- Dupont's Lark
- Genus: GaleridaGaleridaGalerida is a genus of larks.-Species:* Crested Lark, Galerida cristata* Thekla Lark, Galerida theklae* Malabar Lark, Galerida malabarica* Sun Lark, Galerida modesta* Tawny Lark or Sykes' Crested Lark, Galerida deva...
- Crested LarkCrested LarkThe Crested Lark, Galerida cristata, breeds across most of temperate Eurasia from Portugal to northeast China and eastern India, and in Africa south to Niger...
, Galerida cristata - Thekla LarkThekla LarkThe Thekla Lark, Galerida theklae, breeds in Iberia, northern Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Somalia. It is a sedentary species....
, Galerida theklae - Malabar LarkMalabar LarkThe Malabar Lark, or Malabar Crested Lark, Galerida malabarica, is a sedentary breeding bird in western India.This is a common bird of open country, cultivation and scrub, often at some altitude. It nests on the ground, laying two to three eggs...
, Galerida malabarica - Sun LarkSun LarkThe Sun Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is found in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, and Uganda.Its...
, Galerida modesta - Sykes's LarkSykes's LarkSykes's Lark is a species of lark found in the dry open country of peninsular India. Its distribution is manly restricted to Central India, although stray records have been found elsewhere in India. It is identified by its prominent crest and its overall rufous colouration...
, Tawny Lark or Sykes' Crested Lark, Galerida deva - Large-billed LarkLarge-billed LarkThe Large-billed Lark or Southern Thick-billed Lark, Galerida magnirostris is a small passerine bird. It is a resident breeder in southern South Africa, Lesotho and southernmost Namibia.-Habitat and breeding:...
, Galerida magnirostris
- Crested Lark
- Genus: Pseudalaemon
- Short-tailed LarkShort-tailed LarkThe Short-tailed Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Pseudalaemon. It is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania....
, Pseudalaemon fremantlii
- Short-tailed Lark
- Genus: Lullula
- Wood LarkWoodlarkThe Woodlark is the only lark in the genus Lullula. It breeds across most of Europe, the Middle East Asia and the mountains of north Africa. It is mainly resident in the west of its range, but eastern populations of this passerine bird are more migratory, moving further south in winter...
, Lullula arborea
- Wood Lark
- Genus: AlaudaAlaudaAlauda is a genus of larks with four species found across much of Europe, Asia and in the mountains of north Africa, and one species endemic to the islet of Raso in the Cape Verde Islands....
- SkylarkSkylarkThe Skylark is a small passerine bird species. This lark breeds across most of Europe and Asia and in the mountains of north Africa. It is mainly resident in the west of its range, but eastern populations are more migratory, moving further south in winter. Even in the milder west of its range,...
, Alauda arvensis - Japanese SkylarkJapanese SkylarkThe Japanese Skylark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is endemic to Japan.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007....
, Alauda japonica - Oriental SkylarkOriental SkylarkThe Oriental Skylark , also known as the Oriental Lark or Small Skylark, is a species of skylark found in South Asia and Southeast Asia...
, Alauda gulgula - Raso Skylark, Alauda razae
- Skylark
- Genus: EremophilaEremophila (bird)The bird genus Eremophila comprises the two horned larks:* the Shore Lark, Eremophila alpestris, known in North America as the Horned Lark,* and Temminck's Lark, or Temminck's Horned Lark, Eremophila bilopha....
- Shore LarkShore LarkThe Shore Lark , called the Horned Lark in North America, is a species of bird in the genus Eremophila.- Description :...
or Horned Lark, Eremophila alpestris - Temminck's LarkTemminck's LarkThe Temminck’s Lark or Temminck’s Horned Lark , breeds across much of north Africa, through northern Saudi Arabia to western Iraq. It is mainly resident, but some populations of this passerine bird are partially migratory, moving further south in winter.This lark is a bird of open stony...
, Eremophila bilopha
- Shore Lark
See also
- Lark BuntingLark BuntingThe Lark Bunting is a medium-sized sparrow. It is monotypic, the only member of the genus Calamospiza .-Overview:...
- Lark SparrowLark SparrowThe Lark Sparrow is a fairly large American sparrow. It is the only member of the genus Chondestes.This passerine bird breeds in southern Canada, much of the United States, and northern Mexico. It is much less common in the east, where its range is contracting...
- Magpie-larkMagpie-larkThe Magpie-lark is a conspicuous Australian bird of small to medium size, also known as the Mudlark in Victoria and Western Australia, the Murray Magpie in South Australia, and as the Peewee in New South Wales and Queensland...
(Neither a lark nor a magpie, but a giant Monarch flycatcher) - MeadowlarkMeadowlarkMeadowlarks are birds belonging to the genus Sturnella in the New World family Icteridae.This genus includes seven species of largely insectivorous grassland birds...
- TitlarkPipitThe pipits are a cosmopolitan genus, Anthus, of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. Along with the wagtails and longclaws, the pipits make up the family Motacillidae...
, a synonym for Meadow PipitMeadow PipitThe Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis, is a small passerine bird which breeds in much of the northern half of Europe and also northwestern Asia, from southeastern Greenland and Iceland east to just east of the Ural Mountains in Russia, and south to central France and Romania; there is also an isolated... - SonglarkSonglarkThe Songlarks are a genus of birds in the Old World Warbler family Megaluridae.There are two species:* Brown Songlark * Rufous Songlark Both are endemic to Australia....
External links
- Lark videos on the Internet Bird Collection