Fawn-coloured lark

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Fawn-coloured lark
Fawn-coloured lark (Calendulauda africanoides africanoides) 2.jpg
in South Africa
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Alaudidae
Genus: Calendulauda
Species:
C. africanoides
Binomial name
Calendulauda africanoides
(Smith A, 1836)
Synonyms
  • Mirafra africanoides

The fawn-coloured lark (Calendulauda africanoides) or fawn-coloured bush-lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in south-central Africa.

Contents

Taxonomy and systematics

Formerly, the fawn-coloured lark was classified as belonging to the genus Mirafra until moved to Calendulauda in 2009. [2]

Subspecies

Eight subspecies are recognised: [2]

The subspecies C. a. intercedens and C. a. alopex were formerly separated as the foxy lark. They were lumped with the fawn-colored lark based on the results of a large 2024 molecular genetic study of the Alaudidae by Per Alström and collaborators that found only shallow genetic divergence. [2] [3]

Distribution and habitat

The range of the fawn-coloured lark is broadly spread, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 2,400,000 km2. [1] It can be found in the countries of Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

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References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2017). "Calendulauda africanoides". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T22717080A118709482. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T22717080A118709482.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (August 2024). "Nicators, Bearded Reedling, larks". IOC World Bird List Version 14.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  3. Alström, P.; Mohammadi, Z.; Enbody, E.D.; Irestedt, M.; Engelbrecht, D.; Crochet, P.-A.; Guillaumet, A.; Rancilhac, L.; Tieleman, B.I.; Olsson, U.; Donald, P.F.; Stervander, M. (2023). "Systematics of the avian family Alaudidae using multilocus and genomic data". Avian Research. 14: 100095. doi: 10.1016/j.avrs.2023.100095 .