''Alauda'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

lark Larks are passerine birds of the family Alaudidae. Larks have a cosmopolitan distribution with the largest number of species occurring in Africa. Only a single species, the horned lark, occurs in North America, and only Horsfield's bush lark occ ...

s found across much of Europe, Asia and in the mountains of north Africa, and one of the species (the

Raso lark The Raso lark (''Alauda razae'') is a small passerine bird with a highly restricted range, being found only on Raso islet in the Cape Verde Islands. This critically endangered member of the family Alaudidae lives in very arid terrain, and is co ...

)

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to the islet of Raso in the

Cape Verde Islands Cape Verde or Cabo Verde, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country and archipelagic state of West Africa in the central Atlantic Ocean, consisting of ten volcanic islands with a combined land area of about . These 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 Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/24 79), known in English as Pliny the Elder ( ), was a Roman Empire, Roman author, Natural history, naturalist, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the Roman emperor, emperor Vesp ...

thought the word was originally of Celtic origin.

Taxonomy and systematics

The genus ''Alauda'' was introduced by the Swedish naturalist

Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...

in 1758 in the tenth edition of his ''

Systema Naturae ' (originally in Latin written ' with the Orthographic ligature, ligature æ) is one of the major works of the Sweden, Swedish botanist, zoologist and physician Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778) and introduced the Linnaean taxonomy. Although the syste ...

''. The

type species In International_Code_of_Zoological_Nomenclature, zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the spe ...

was subsequently designated as the

Eurasian skylark The Eurasian skylark (''Alauda arvensis'') is a passerine bird in the lark family, Alaudidae. It is a widespread species found across Europe and the Palearctic with introduced populations in Australia, New Zealand and on the Hawaiian Islands. I ...

. The genus ''Alauda'' has four extant and at least two extinct species. Formerly, many other species have also been considered to belong to the genus.

Extant species

The genus contains four species:

Extinct species

* †''Alauda xerarvensis'' (late Pliocene of

Varshets Varshets (, variously transliterated; ) is a spa town in Montana Province, northwestern Bulgaria. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Varshets Municipality. As of December 2019, its population was 5,444. The town is located on th ...

, Bulgaria) * †''Alauda tivadari'' (late Miocene of Polgardi, Hungary)

Former species

Previously, some authorities also classified the following species (or subspecies) as species within the genus ''Alauda'': * Greater hoopoe-lark (desertorum) (as ''Alauda desertorum'') *

Gray's lark Gray's lark (''Ammomanopsis grayi'') is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in south-western Africa in its natural habitat of hot deserts. Taxonomy and systematics Gray's lark was originally described as a species within the ...

(as ''Alauda grayi'') *

Short-clawed lark The short-clawed lark (''Certhilauda chuana'') 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. Taxonomy and systematics Originally, the short ...

(as ''Alauda chuana'') *

Cape long-billed lark The Cape long-billed lark (''Certhilauda curvirostris''), also known as the Cape lark, Cape longbill or long-billed lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in south-western Africa. Its natural habitats are semi-arid Karoo s ...

(as ''Alauda curvirostris'') *

Dusky lark The dusky lark (''Pinarocorys nigricans''), also known as the dusky bush lark or rufous-rumped bush lark, is a species of migratory lark in the family Alaudidae. It is native to the southern Afrotropics. Range It is found in southern Central Afr ...

(as ''Alauda nigricans'') *

Rufous-rumped lark The rufous-rumped lark (''Pinarocorys erythropygia'') 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 h ...

(as ''Alauda erythropygia'') *

Desert lark The desert lark (''Ammomanes deserti'') breeds in deserts and semi-deserts from Morocco to western India. It has a very wide distribution and faces no obvious threats, and surveys have shown that it is slowly increasing in numbers as it expands ...

(as ''Alauda deserti'') *

Middle East desert lark The desert lark (''Ammomanes deserti'') breeds in deserts and semi-deserts from Morocco to western India. It has a very wide distribution and faces no obvious threats, and surveys have shown that it is slowly increasing in numbers as it expands ...

(as ''Alauda isabellina'') * Bar-tailed lark (arenicolor) (as ''Alauda arenicolor'') *

Senegal chestnut-backed finch-lark The chestnut-backed sparrow-lark (''Eremopterix leucotis'') is a passerine bird which is a resident breeder in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Taxonomy and systematics The chestnut-backed sparrow-lark was originally placed in the genus ''Loxi ...

(as ''Alauda melanocephala'') *

Ashy-crowned sparrow-lark The ashy-crowned sparrow-lark (''Eremopterix griseus'') is a small sparrow-sized member of the lark family. It is found in the plains in open land with bare ground, grass and scrub across South Asia. The males are well marked with a contrasting b ...

(as ''Alauda grisea'') *

Congo Sabota lark The sabota lark (''Calendulauda sabota'') 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 bu ...

(as ''Alauda plebeja'') * Bradfield's lark (as ''Alauda naevia'') *

Pink-breasted lark The pink-breasted lark (''Calendulauda poecilosterna'') or pink-breasted bushlark is a species of passerine bird in the family Alaudidae. Taxonomy and systematics This species was originally classified in the genus ''Alauda'' and then ''Mirafra' ...

(as ''Alauda poecilosterna'') *

Karoo lark ''The Karoo lark should not be confused with the similarly named Karoo long-billed lark.'' The Karoo lark (''Calendulauda albescens'') or red-backed lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is endemic to South Africa where its nat ...

(as ''Alauda albescens'') * Karoo lark (codea) (as ''Alauda codea'') * Karoo lark (guttata) (as ''Alauda guttata'') * Dune lark (as ''Alauda erythrochlamys'') *

Eastern clapper lark The eastern clapper lark (''Corypha fasciolata'') is a small passerine bird which breeds in southern Africa. It derives its name from the wing clapping which forms part of its display flight. Taxonomy and systematics The eastern clapper lark was ...

(as ''Alauda fasciolata'') *

Cape clapper lark The Cape clapper lark (''Corypha 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. The Cape clapper lark is a species of open grassland and sava ...

(as ''Alauda apiata'') *

Woodlark The woodlark or wood lark (''Lullula arborea'') is the only extant species in the lark genus ''Lullula''. It is found across most of Europe, the Middle East, western Asia and the mountains of north Africa. It is mainly resident (non-bird migrati ...

(as ''Alauda arborea'') *

Botha's lark Botha's lark (''Spizocorys fringillaris'') is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae that is endemic to South Africa. It is considered to be South Africa's most endangered bird species with approximately 340 mature individuals left in the wild. ...

(as ''Alauda fringillaris'') *

Pink-billed lark The pink-billed lark (''Spizocorys conirostris'') is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in southern Africa. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. It is described as having a low breeding success rate. ...

(as ''Alauda conirostris'') * Sykes's lark (as ''Alauda Deva'') * Large-billed lark (as ''A. magnirostris'') *

Crested lark The crested lark (''Galerida cristata'') is a species of lark widespread across Eurasia and North Africa, northern Africa. It is a non-migratory bird, but can occasionally be found as a Vagrancy (biology), vagrant in Great Britain. Taxonomy and ...

(as ''Alauda cristata'') * Senegal crested lark (as ''Alauda senegallensis'') * Crested lark (leautungensis) (as ''Alauda leautungensis'') * Indian crested lark (as ''Alauda Chendoola'') *

Malabar lark The Malabar lark, or Malabar crested lark (''Galerida malabarica'') is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in western India. Taxonomy and systematics Originally, the Malabar lark was classified in the genus ''Alauda'' before being mo ...

(as ''Alauda malabarica'') *

Horned lark The horned lark or shore lark (''Eremophila alpestris'') is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found across the northern hemisphere. It is known as "horned lark" in North America and "shore lark" in Europe. Taxonomy The horned lark was Sp ...

(as ''Alauda alpestris'') * Mexican horned lark (as ''Alauda chrysolaema'') *

Shore lark The horned lark or shore lark (''Eremophila alpestris'') is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found across the northern hemisphere. It is known as "horned lark" in North America and "shore lark" in Europe. Taxonomy The horned lark was fo ...

(as ''Alauda flava'') *

Southern horned lark The horned lark or shore lark (''Eremophila alpestris'') is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found across the northern hemisphere. It is known as "horned lark" in North America and "shore lark" in Europe. Taxonomy The horned lark was fo ...

(as ''Alauda Penicillata'') *

Temminck's lark Temminck's lark (''Eremophila bilopha'') or Temminck's horned lark, is a bird species of the family Alaudidae. It breeds across much of north Africa, through northern Saudi Arabia to western Iraq. It is mainly resident, but some populations of ...

(as ''Alauda bilopha'') *

Mongolian short-toed lark The Mongolian short-toed lark or Sykes's short-toed lark (''Calandrella dukhunensis'') is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It breeds in China and Mongolia and winters in southern Asia. Taxonomy and systematics The Mongolian short-toed ...

(as ''Alauda Dukhunensis'') *

Red-capped lark The red-capped lark (''Calandrella cinerea'') is a small passerine bird that breeds in the highlands of eastern Africa southwards from Ethiopia and Somaliland. In the south, its range stretches across the continent to Angola and south to the Cap ...

(as ''Alauda cinerea'') * Red-capped lark (spleniata) (as ''Alauda spleniata'') *

Greater short-toed lark The greater short-toed lark (''Calandrella brachydactyla'') is a small passerine bird. The current scientific name is from Ancient Greek. The genus name, ''Calandrella'', is a diminutive of ''kalandros'', the calandra lark, and ''brachydactila' ...

(as ''Alauda brachydactila'') * Steppe greater short-toed lark (as ''Alauda longipennis'') * Bimaculated lark (as ''Alauda bimaculata'') *

Calandra lark The calandra lark (''Melanocorypha calandra'') or European calandra-lark breeds in warm temperate countries around the Mediterranean and eastwards through Turkey into northern Iran and southern Russia. It is replaced further east by its relative ...

(as ''Alauda calandra'') *

Black lark The black lark (''Melanocorypha yeltoniensis'') is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in south-eastern Russia and Kazakhstan. Taxonomy and systematics The black lark was originally placed in the genus '' Alauda''. The current genu ...

(as ''Alauda yeltoniensis'') *

Mongolian lark The Mongolian lark (''Melanocorypha mongolica'') is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found from southern Russia and Mongolia to central China. The Mongolian lark is known for its elaborate singing and even well into adulthood, is able t ...

(as ''Alauda mongolica'') * Dupont's lark (as ''Alauda Duponti'') *

Mediterranean short-toed lark The Mediterranean short-toed lark (''Alaudala rufescens'') is a small passerine bird found in and around the Mediterranean Basin. It is a common bird with a very wide range from Canary Islands north to the Iberian Peninsula and east throughout N ...

(as ''Alauda rufescens'') *

Sand lark The sand lark (''Alaudala raytal'') is a small passerine bird in the lark family, Alaudidae, found in southern Asia. It is somewhat similar to, but smaller than the short-toed larks. Taxonomy and systematics The sand lark was originally assign ...

(as ''Alauda raytal'')

References

External links

{{Authority control Bird genera Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus