''Spizocorys'' is a genus of African

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 oc ...

s in the family

Alaudidae 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 oc ...

found in southern and eastern Africa.

Taxonomy and systematics

Extant species

The genus contains seven extant species: *

Obbia lark The Obbia lark (''Spizocorys obbiensis'') is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in central Somalia, where it is endemic. Its natural habitat is sub-tropical or tropical dry shrubland. Formerly or presently, some authorities ...

(''Spizocorys obbiensis'') * Sclater's lark (''Spizocorys sclateri'') *

Stark's lark Stark's lark (''Spizocorys starki'') is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. Its natural habitats are dry savannah and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. Captain George Shelley ...

(''Spizocorys starki'') * Short-tailed lark (''Spizocorys fremantlii'') * Masked lark (''Spizocorys personata'') * Botha's lark (''Spizocorys fringillaris'') * Pink-billed lark (''Spizocorys conirostris'')

Former species

Formerly, some authorities classified the following species as belonging to the genus: *

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 ...

(as ''Spizocorys razae'') * Blanford's lark (eremica) (as ''Spizocorys eremica'') * Athi short-toed lark (as ''Spizocorys athensis'')

References

Bird genera Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Alaudidae-stub