Raso lark

Alauda razae

Photo by Paul Donald (Surfbirds)

Common name:
Raso lark (en); calhandra-do-Raso (pt); alouette de Razo (fr); alondra de Raso (es); Rasolerche (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Alaudidae

Range:
This species is endemic to the Raso islet in the Cape Verde Archipelago, between the islands of Santa Luzia and São Nicolau.

Size:
These birds are 12-13 cm long and weigh 18-28 g.

Habitat:
The Raso lark is found on level plains with volcanic soil and is associated with small vegetated patches od dry grassland and dry scrubland along dry stream beds in which it feeds and breeds. Occasionally, they also use tide pools.

Diet:
They forage on the ground, by digging or turning over stones with their bills, taking Cyperus bulbosus and C. cadamosti bulbs, grass seeds, leaves, branches of Zygophillum simplex, and also caterpillars, adult and larval beetles and grasshoppers, flies, ants, spiders and gastropods.

Breeding:
Raso larks breed mainly in October-December, following the late summer rainfalls, but can breed at any time of the year following irregular rains. Both sexes build the nest, a shallow scrape on the ground, lined with dry grasses and usually located under low scrubs or clumps of grass. The female lays 1-3 eggs, which she incubates alone for 12-15 days. There is no information regarding the fledgling period.

Conservation:
IUCN status - CR (Critically Endangered)
This species has an extremely small breeding range and a global population estimated at 250-1.000 individuals. The population undergoes fluctuations due to rainfall levels on Raso. It has increased rapidly since 2004 but it is uncertain whether this relates to a temporary fluctuation or a longer-term increase. The main threats include long-term desertification in the Cape Verde, nest predation by the Cape Verde giant gecko Tarentola gigas, but the risk of future introduction of mammals that can prey on their nest is also of great concern, ans is now exacerbated by increased tourist activity in the Cape Verde Islands. The Raso lark has been protected by law since 1955 and the Raso islet was declared a national park in 1990, but to date there has been limited enforcement of these laws on the ground. Collecting of young and eggs has now been halted by the activity of a local NGO, Biosfera, and the practicalities and desirability of a possible translocation project are being investigated.

Rudd's lark

Heteromirafra ruddi

Photo by Warwick Tarboton (Warwick Tarboton)

Common name:
Rudd's lark (en); cotovia-de-Rudd (pt); alouette de Rudd (fr); alondra de Rudd (es); Transvaalspornlerche (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Alaudidae

Range:
This species is endemic to South Africa, being patchily distributed across south-eastern Mpumalanga, western KwaZulu-Natal, the north-eastern Free State and farther north in the Dullstroom-Machadodorp district.

Size:
These birds are 14-15 cm long and weigh 26-27 g.

Habitat:
The Rudd's lark is found in open, grazed mountain grasslands without forb invasion, in areas of high rainfall at altitudes of 1.600-2.200 m.

Diet:
They feed on adult and larval insects, such as caterpillars, grasshoppers and beetles, as well as seeds.

Breeding:
Rudd's larks breed in November-February. They are monogamous and territorial, and nest on the ground in a cup covered with a dome, made from old grass and lined with fresh dry grass. There the female lays 2-4 eggs which are incubated for 13-14 days. The chicks fledge about 13 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - VU (Vulnerable)
This species has a relatively large but patchy breeding range, and a global population estimated at just 1.700-3.300 individuals. The population is believed to be declining and current rates of habitat loss could lead to a further decline of 30-50% in the next decade. This species is greatly affected by habitat loss and fragmentation through agricultural intensification, inappropriate pasture management and afforestation. Human settlement and mining are also considered major threats for its habitat. Further threats include wild fires and nest predation by mongooses, rodents and snakes.

Rufous-naped lark

Mirafra africana

Photo by Tarique Sani (Flickr)

Common name:
rufous-naped lark (en); cotovia-de-nuca-vermelha (en); alouette à nuque rousse (fr); alondra nuquirrufa (es); rotnackenlerche (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Alaudidae

Range:
This African species is found in sub-Saharan Africa, from Niger and Nigeria to Ethiopia and south to Namibia, Botswana and eastern South Africa.

Size:
These birds are 15-18 cm long and weigh 40-55 g.

Habitat:
The rufous-naped lark is mostly found in dry grasslands and savannas, also using dry scrublands such as fynbos. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 3.000 m.

Diet:
They forage on the ground, mainly hunting insects and other invertebrate, including beetles, weevils, stink bugs, caterpillars, grasshoppers, mantids, fly larvae, ants, earthworms, millipedes, spiders and solifugids. They also take some seeds of various grasses and forbs.

Breeding:
Rufous-naped larks can breeds all year round, varying among different parts of their range. the nest is a dome made of dry grasses and lined with fine plant materials, place in a scrape in the ground at the base of a grass tuft or scrub. The female lays 2-4 eggs which are incubated for 14-15 days. The chicks are mainly fed by the female and leave the nest 10-12 days after hatching, before they are able to fly.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as generally common. The population is estimated to be in decline following recorded changes in the species range as it becomes increasingly fragmented in the north of its distribution.

Spike-heeled lark

Chersomanes albofasciata

Photo by Marco Valentini (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
spike-heeled lark (en); cotovia-esporada (pt); alouette éperonnée (fr); alondra espolada (es); zirplerche (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Alaudidae

Range:
This species is found in southern Africa, from south-western Angola, through Namibia and Botswana and into South Africa.

Size:
These birds are 14 cm long and weigh 25 g.

Habitat:
The spike-heeled lark is found in mostly found in grasslands, particularly in well-grazed high rainfall grasslands, but also use karoo dry scrublands, dry grasslands along the edge of the desert, and lawns and sport fields near urban areas.

Diet:
They feed mainly on invertebrates, such as caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers, flies, bugs, termites, ants, ticks, solifugids, scorpions and spiders. They also take some seeds.

Breeding:
Spike-heeled larks breed in response to rainfall, but mostly in August-December. The nest is built by both sexes, consisting of an open cup made of dry grass, twigs and rootlets, placed on the ground, usually at the base of a grass tuft or shrub, or sometimes in a clump of stones and sticks. The female lays 2-5 eggs, which she incubates alone for 12-13 days. The chicks are fed by both parents, leaving the nest after about 8-12 days, before they are able to fly. They usually become independent a few days later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and id described as common in at least parts of its range. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to the expansion of cultivation and plantations, but the spike-heeled lark is not considered threatened at present.

Thekla lark

Galerida theklae

Photo by Marco Valentini (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
Thekla lark (en); cotovia-montesina (pt); cochevis de Thékla (fr); cogujada montesina (es); Theklalerche (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Alaudidae

Range:
This species is found is found in south-eastern France, Spain and Portugal, and from Western Sahara and Morocco to Libya and north-western Egypt. There is also a disjunct population in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and northern Kenya.

Size:
These birds are 17-19 cm long and have a wingspan of 28-36 cm. They weigh 34-37 g.

Habitat:
Thekla larks are mostly found in dry scrublands and rocky areas, also using dry grasslands, pastures and arable land. They are present at altitudes of 50-3.200 m.

Diet:
They forage on the ground, mainly eating seeds and green plant material. During the breeding season they also eat insects and earthworms.

Breeding:
Thekla larks breed in April-June. The female builds the nest, a small cup made of dry grasses and placed on the ground. There she lays 2-6 light brown eggs with darker blotches, which she incubates alone for 11-17 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 15-16 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 9-25 million individuals. The population is declining in Spain, due to habitat loss and degradation, but is believed to be stable elsewhere.

Chestnut-backed sparrowlark

Eremopterix leucotis

Photo by Guy Poisson (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
chestnut-backed sparrowlark (en); cotovia-pardal-de-dorso-castanho (pt); moinelette à oreillons blancs (fr); terrera orejiblanca (es); weißwangenlerche (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Alaudidae

Range:
This species is found in sub-Saharan Africa, in the Sahel belt from Mauritania and Senegal to Sudan, through Kenya and Tanzania and into Angola, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique and north-eastern South Africa.

Size:
These small larks are 11 cm long and weigh 12-16 g.

Habitat:
The chestnut-backed sparrowlark is mostly found in short, dry grasslands and semi-arid savanna woodlands, especially in recently burnt areas, but also in pastures and arable land.

Diet:
They forage on the ground, usually in flocks of 5-50 birds, mainly eating seeds of cultivated cereal crops or grasses, but also taking some invertebrates.

Breeding:
Chestnut-backed sparrowlarks breed in January-September. The nest is built by both sexes, consisting of a cup of dry grass and rootlets placed in a shallow excavated depression in the ground. It is often positioned against a grass tuft or stone. There the female lays 1-3 eggs which are incubated by both parents for about 11 days. The chicks are brooded and fed by both parents, leaving the nest 10-12 days after hatching, but only being able to fly a few days later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as fairly common to common throughout most of its range, although scarce at the periphery of this range. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Greater hoopoe-lark

Alaemon alaudipes

Photo by Ahmet Karatas (Flickr)

Common name:
greater hoopoe-lark (en); calhandra-íbis (pt); sirli du désert (fr); alondra ibis (es); wüstenläuferlerche (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Alaudidae

Range:
This species is found in northern Africa, from the Cape Verde islands and northern Senegal, north to Morocco and east to Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt, and through the Middle East into Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Size:
These birds are 19-22,5 cm long and weigh 33-40 g.

Habitat:
The greater hoopoe-lark is found in arid and desert areas, including including hot deserts, dry scrublands and to some extent in dry grasslands, from sea level up to an altitude of 2.000 m.

Diet:
They feed on the ground or in low scrubs, mainly taking insects and other invertebrates, but also seeds and sometimes the the fruiting bodies of certain fungi.

Breeding:
Greater hoopoe-larks breed in February-August. The nest is a cup made of small sticks and placed on a low scrub or on the ground, sometimes at the base of a scrub. There the female lays 2-3 eggs which are incubated by both sexes for 17-20 days. The chicks fledge 17-23 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the species is described as common and widespread. The population is estimated to be in decline following recorded regional declines in some parts of their range.

Oriental skylark

Alauda gulgula

Photo by Rajiv Lather (Birding in India and South Asia)

Common name:
oriental skylark (en), laverca-oriental (pt); alouette gulgule (fr); alondra oriental (es); orientfeldlerche (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Alaudidae

Range:
This species is found in southern Asia, from northern Iran and souther Kazakhstan to eastern China and south to India, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Size:
These birds are 15-16,5 cm long and weigh 24-30 g.

Habitat:
The oriental skylark is found in various open habitats, often near water bodies. These include grasslands, dry scrublands, saltmarshes, mudflats, saltflats, lakes and rivers, and arable land. They are found from sea level up to an altitude of 4.300 m.

Diet:
They forage on the ground, taking seeds and insects, namely moths, caterpillars and other insect larvae. They often feed on fallen grain of all types of cultivated cereals.

Breeding:
The oriental skylark breeds in March-November. The nest is a shallow depression on the ground, lined with dry grasses, and often sheltered by a clod of earth, a tuft of grass or a small stunted scrub. there The female lays 2-5 greyish or yellowish eggs with fine brown spots, which she incubates alone for 10-11 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 10 days after hatching, but continue to rely on the parents for food for another 1-2 weeks. Each pair raises 2 broods per season.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is reported to be common to fairly common in most of this range. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat loss

Horned lark

Eremophila alpestris

Photo by R. Gilbert (Costal Sand Ecosystems)

Common name:
horner lark (en); cotovia-cornuda (pt); alouette hausse-col (fr); alondra cornuda (es); ohrenlerche (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Alaudidae

Range:
This species is widely distributed in the northern hemisphere, being found throughout North America, northern Europe and central and northern Asia. there are also some smaller populations in the mountains of south-eastern Europe and north-west Africa.

Size:
These birds are 15-17 cm long and have a wingspan of 31-35,5 cm. They weigh 26-48 g.

Habitat:
The horned lark is mostly found in open habitats such as prairies, grasslands, dry tundra, scrublands, sand dunes and beaches, arable land and pastures. They are found from sea level up to an altitude of 5.400 m.

Diet:
They usually forage on the ground, feeding on insects and other arthropods, such as spiders, ants, grasshoppers, wasps, but also snails, fruits, berries and seeds.

Breeding:
Horned larks breed in March-July. They nest in shallow depressions in the ground where the female adds dry grass, plant down, and plant stems. The nest is usually placed near stones or under small plants in open, sandy or barren areas. The female lays 3-5 glossy grey to greenish eggs, which she incubates alone for 10-14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 9-12 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has an extremely large breeding range and a global population estimated to be over 140 million individuals. The population is known to be decreasing in parts of its range

Greater short-toed lark

Calandrella brachydactyla

Photo by Lior Kislev (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
greater short-toed lark (en); calhandrinha-comum (pt); alouette calandrelle (fr); terrera común (es); kurzzehenlerche (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Alaudidae

Range:
This species is found in southern Europe, from Portugal to Greece, and in northern Africa from Morocco to Egypt and south to the Sahel belt. It is also found along the middle latitudes of Asia all the way east to eastern China, Mongolia and Korea.

Size:
These birds are 13-14 cm long and have a wingspan of 25-32 cm. They weigh 18-25 g.

Habitat:
The greater short-toed lark is mostly found in dry grasslands, dry scrublands, fallow agricultural fields and pastures. They are also found in semi-desert and steppe. This species is found from sea level up to an altitude of 2.400 m.

Diet:
During spring and summer they mostly eat invertebrates, namely beetles, ants, bugs and snails. During the rest of the year they eat seeds and other vegetable matter, mostly of grasses, herbs and also cereal grains.

Breeding:
Greater short-toed larks breed in April-July. The female builds the nest, a shallow scrape on the ground lined with grasses, rootlets and finer materials. There she lays 3-5 yellowish or greenish eggs with brown spots. The female incubates the eggs alone for 11-13 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 9-12 days after hatching, but only become fully independent 1-3 weeks later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has an extremely large breeding range and a global population estimated at 100-1.000 million individuals. The population is estimated to be in decline owing to recorded regional declines in recent decades, especially in Europe.

Short-clawed lark

Certhilauda chuana

Photo by Trevor Hardaker (Trevor and Margareth Hardaker)

Common name:

short-clawed lark (en); cotovia-d'unhas-curtas (pt); alouette à ongles courts (fr); alondra chuana (es); akazien-langschnabellerche (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Alaudidae

Range:

This African species is only found in south-eastern Botswana and north-eastern South Africa.

Size:

These birds are 14-17 cm long and weigh 44 g.

Habitat:

Short-clawed larks are found in dry savannas, preferring semi-arid Acacia savanna with scattered grass clumps and bushes, and large patches of bare ground.

Diet:

They are strictly insectivorous, taking grasshoppers, weevils, Anoplolepis ants, Hodotermes and Macrotermes termites, and caterpillars.

Breeding:

Short-clawed larks breed in September-March. The nest is built solely by the female, consisting of an open cup built of grass and lined with finer plant material. It is typically placed in a scrape in the ground beneath a grass tuft or small shrub. The female lays 2-3 eggs, which she incubates alone for 14-16 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 11-12 days after hatching, but remain with their parents for another 4 weeks.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a restricted breeding range and a global population estimated at 50.000-100.000 individuals. The population seems to be stable in its core breeding areas, in Botswana, but some declines have been reported in South Africa.

Skylark

Alauda arvensis

Photo by Lewis Thomson (LT Images)

Common name:

skylark (en); laverca (pt); alouette des champs (fr); alondra común (es); feldlerche (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Alaudidae

Range:

The skylark breeds across Europe and the temperate zone of Asia as far east as Japan and the Kamchatka peninsula of Russia. The western populations are resident, but the eastern populations migrate south to winter in southern China. The species has been introduced to Australia, Canada, Hawaii, and New Zealand.

Size:

They are 16-19 cm long and have a wingspan of 30-36 cm. They weigh up to 55 g.

Habitat:

Skylarks utilise a wide range of open habitats including saltmarshes and coastal grazing land, arable farmland and rough grazing in the uplands. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.000 m.

Diet:

These birds are omnivores, eating seeds and insects which they take from the ground. They are known to eat weed seeds and waste grain, as well as beetles, caterpillars, spiders, millipedes, earthworms, and slugs.

Breeding:

Skylarks breed in April-August. Females build the nest with little help from males, a shallow depression in the ground lined with stems and leaves, often found near short vegetation. There the female lays 3-5 pale brownish-grey eggs, which she incubates alone for 11-14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 8-11 days after hatching, but only become fully independent 2-3 weeks later. Each pair may produce 2-3 broods per year.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has an extremely large breeding range and a huge global population estimated at 250-1000 million individuals. The population is estimated to be in decline following marked regional declines in recent decades linked to agricultural intensification.

Fawn-coloured lark

Mirafra africanoides

(Photo from Bird Forum)

Common name:

fawn-coloured lark (en); cotovia-cor-d'areia (pt); alouette fauve (fr); alondra leonada (es); steppenlerche (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Alaudidae

Range:

This African species is found in two distinct populations. The southern population is found from north-central South Africa to Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, marginally extending into Zambia and Angola. The other population occurs in arid areas of eastern Africa, in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Size:

This medium-sized lark is 14-16 cm long and weighs 18-25 g.

Habitat:

Fawn-coloured larks are mostly found in desert scrub, broadleaf savanna and thornveld.

Diet:

It eats insects and the seeds of forbs and grasses, doing most of its foraging on bare sandy soil and at the bases of grass tufts. Among their prey are termites, ants, grasshoppers, antlion larvae and spiders.

Breeding:

The fawn-coloured lark breeds in September-April. The nest is a cup built of grass and rootlets, often concealed by a grass-built dome. It is typically placed in a scrape in the ground, at the base of a small shrub or grass tuft. There the female lays 2-4 eggs which are incubated for 11-13 days. The chicks are fed by both parents, fledging 12-14 days after hatching, but continuing dependent on their parents for several weeks.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

Although the global population size has not been quantified, this species is described as common throughout its very large breeding range. In the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats, the population is believed to be stable and the species is therefore not considered threatened at present.

Calandra lark

Melanocorypha calandra

Photo by Durzan Cirano (Trek Nature)

Common name:

calandra lark (en); calhandra-real (pt); alouette calandre (fr); calandria común (es); kalanderlerche (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Alaudidae

Range:

Calandra larks are found breeding in around the Mediterranean basin, and further east through Turkey and northern Iran and into southern Russia. The Mediterranean populations are resident, but the birds in Russia migrate south to the Arabian Peninsula and Egypt.

Size:

This large lark is 17,5-20 cm long and has a wingspan of 38 cm. They weigh 54-73 g.

Habitat:

They are mostly found in dry open country, including grassland, cereal pseudo-steppe and real steppeland. Although they avoid deserts and semi-deserts, than may be found in more arid areas with scarce vegetation. They are mostly found in lowlands, but may occur up to an altitude of 1400 m.

Diet:

The calandra lark changes from an essentially insectivorous diet during the breeding season, when they take grasshoppers, caterpillars, spiders and other invertebrates, to a mostly granivorous diet in the autumn and winter, when they forage on numerous seeds and cereals, also eating grass shoots.

Breeding:

They usually start nesting in April. The nest is on the ground often sheltered by some plant, tussock or small bush. The female lays 4-5 greenish eggs, which she incubates alone for 12-14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents. They leave the nest after 11-12 days, but will only fly at about 20 days after hatching. Each pair produces two broods per year.

Conservation

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

With a population of 60-300 million and a very large breeding range, the calandra lark is not threatened at present. Still, the species has suffered some declines, at least in south-west Europe, probably due to pesticide abuse and agricultural intensification.