Mirafra | |
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Bengal bush lark (Mirafra assamica) in Kolkata (West Bengal, India) | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Alaudidae |
Genus: | Mirafra Horsfield, 1821 |
Type species | |
Mirafra javanica [1] Horsfield, 1821 | |
Diversity | |
24 species (but see text) | |
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global range of genus [2] | |
Synonyms | |
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Mirafra is a genus of lark in the family Alaudidae. Some Mirafra species are called "larks", while others are called "bush larks". They are found from Africa through South Asia to Australia.
The genus Mirafra was introduced in 1821 by the American naturalist Thomas Horsfield to accommodate a single species, Mirafra javanica the singing bush lark, which is therefore considered as the type species. [3] [4] The derivation of the genus name is unknown. [5]
The phylogeny of larks (Alaudidae) was reviewed by Alström et al. (2013) who found that the following species form a well supported monophyletic group, which is the sister lineage to Heteromirafra. [6]
The genus contains twenty-four species: [7]
Image | Scientific name | Common Name | Distribution |
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![]() | Mirafra fasciolata | Eastern clapper lark | southern Africa in Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho and South Africa. |
![]() | Mirafra apiata | Cape clapper lark | southern Africa |
![]() | Mirafra hypermetra | Red-winged lark | Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda |
![]() | Mirafra africana | Rufous-naped lark | sub-Saharan Africa |
Mirafra sharpii | Sharpe's lark | northwestern Somalia | |
![]() | Mirafra rufocinnamomea | Flappet lark | Central Africa |
![]() | Mirafra angolensis | Angola lark | southern and central Africa |
Mirafra williamsi | Williams's lark | northern Kenya | |
![]() | Mirafra passerina | Monotonous lark | southern Africa. |
![]() | Mirafra cheniana | Melodious lark | South Africa (Eastern Cape, the Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and North West Province), Botswana and Zimbabwe |
![]() | Mirafra javanica | Singing bush lark | Australia and much of Southeast Asia. |
![]() | Mirafra microptera | Burmese bush lark | central Myanmar |
![]() | Mirafra assamica | Bengal bush lark | Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar and Nepal |
![]() | Mirafra erythrocephala | Indochinese bush lark | southeast Asia. |
![]() | Mirafra erythroptera | Indian bush lark | Pakistan and northwestern, central and south-central India. |
![]() | Mirafra affinis | Jerdon's bush lark | southeast India and Sri Lanka |
![]() | Mirafra gilletti | Gillett's lark | Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia |
Mirafra rufa | Rusty bush lark | Sahel region of north-central Africa. | |
![]() | Mirafra collaris | Collared lark | eastern Ethiopia and Somalia to central Kenya |
Mirafra ashi | Ash's lark | Somalia. | |
![]() | Mirafra somalica | Somali lark | Somalia |
Mirafra pulpa | Friedmann's lark | East Africa. | |
![]() | Mirafra cordofanica | Kordofan lark | Mauritania and Senegal to Niger, eastern Chad, southern Sudan and northern South Sudan |
![]() | Mirafra albicauda | White-tailed lark | western Chad, eastern Sudan, northeastern South Sudan, south-central Ethiopia, and from Uganda and western Kenya to central Tanzania |
Some authorities, either presently or formerly, recognize several additional species as belonging to the genus Mirafra, including:
Alauda is a genus of larks found across much of Europe, Asia and in the mountains of north Africa, and one of the species endemic to the islet of Raso in the Cape Verde Islands. Further, at least two additional species are known from the fossil record. The current genus name is from Latin alauda, "lark". Pliny the Elder thought the word was originally of Celtic origin.
The rufous-tailed lark, also sometimes called the rufous-tailed finch-lark, is a ground bird found in the drier open stony habitats of India and parts of Pakistan. Like other species in the genus it has a large finch-like bill with a slightly curved edge to the upper mandible. The dull brown colour matches the soil as it forages for grass seeds, grain and insects. Males and females are indistinguishable in the field but during the breeding season, the male has a courtship display that involves flying up steeply and then nose-diving and pulling up in a series of stepped wavy dips accompanied by calling. They forage on the ground in pairs or small groups.
The pink-breasted lark or pink-breasted bushlark is a species of passerine bird in the family Alaudidae.
The sabota lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in southern Africa in its natural habitats of dry savannah, moist savannah, and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. It is generally sedentary but local movements occur in drier regions. The species name is derived from sebotha or sebothé, the Tswana generic name for a lark.
The Somali lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae endemic to Somalia.
The rufous-rumped lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in western and central Africa from Mali, Guinea and Sierra Leone to eastern Sudan, South Sudan and north-western Uganda. Its natural habitat is dry savannah.
Ammomanes is a genus of lark in the family Alaudidae.
The Karoo lark should not be confused with the similarly named Karoo long-billed lark.
Certhilauda is a genus of larks in the family Alaudidae living in the southern regions of Africa. The genus was formerly named Heterocorys.
Barlow's lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in Namibia and South Africa where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The red lark, also known as the ferruginous lark or ferruginous sand-lark, is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in western South Africa and possibly Namibia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The short-clawed lark or short-clawed bush-lark, is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in Botswana and South Africa. Its natural habitat is dry savannah.
The dune lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is endemic to Namibia where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.
The Karoo long-billed lark or Karoo longbill is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in southern Africa in its natural habitat of subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
Archer's lark, also known as the Liben lark, is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in Somalia and Ethiopia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss. The bird's common name and binomial commemorate the British explorer and colonial official Sir Geoffrey Francis Archer.
Heteromirafra is a small genus of African larks in the family Alaudidae.
Rudd's lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is endemic to South Africa. Its natural habitat is high-altitude grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The fawn-coloured lark or fawn-coloured bush-lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in south-central Africa.
The foxy lark or Abyssinian lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in east-central Africa.