For other uses, see Lark (disambiguation).
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 Crested Lark
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Larks are passerine birds of the predominantly Old World family Alaudidae. Only one species, the Shore Lark, has spread to North America, where it is called the Horned Lark. Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights. This fact, combined with a willingness to expand into anthropogenic habitats — as long as these are not too intensively managed — has ensured larks a prominent place in literature and music (the skylark being eulogised in "The Lark Ascending" (1914) by Ralph Vaughan Williams, for example). Larks nest on the ground, laying 2–6 speckled eggs. Like many ground birds, most lark species have long hind claws, which are thought to provide stability while standing. Most larks are fairly dull in appearance. They feed on insects and seeds. Larks symbolise happiness, hope, good fortune, freedom, joy, youth, creativity and a new day.
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Species list in taxonomic order
- Monotonous Lark, Mirafra passerina
- Singing Bushlark, Mirafra cantillans
- Australasian Bushlark, Mirafra javanica
- Latakoo Lark, Mirafra cheniana
- White-tailed Lark, Mirafra albicauda
- Madagascar Lark, Mirafra hova
- Kordofan Lark, Mirafra cordofanica
- Williams' Lark, Mirafra williamsi
- Friedmann's Lark, Mirafra pulpa
- Red-winged Lark, Mirafra hypermetra
- Somali Long-billed Lark, Mirafra somalica
- Ash's Lark, Mirafra ashi
- Angola Lark, Mirafra angolensis
- Rufous-naped Lark, Mirafra africana
- Flappet Lark, Mirafra rufocinnamomea
- Clapper Lark, Mirafra apiata
- Collared Lark, Mirafra collaris
- Indian Bushlark or Red-winged Bushlark, Mirafra erythroptera
- Gillett's Lark, Mirafra gilletti
- Fawn-colored Lark, Mirafra africanoides (sometimes placed in Calendulauda)
- Rufous-winged Bushlark, Mirafra assamica
- Jerdon's Bushlark Mirafra affinis
- Rusty Lark, Mirafra rufa
- Pink-breasted Lark, Mirafra poecilosterna (sometimes placed in Calendulauda)
- Degodi Lark, Mirafra degodiensis
- Sabota Lark, Mirafra sabota(sometimes placed in Calendulauda)
- Rufous-rumped Lark, Pinarocorys erythropygia
- Dusky Lark, Pinarocorys nigricans
- Archer's Lark, Heteromirafra archeri
- Sidamo Lark, Heteromirafra sidamoensis
- Rudd's Lark, Heteromirafra ruddi
- Cape Lark, Certhilauda curvirostris
- Algulhas Long-billed Lark, Certhilauda brevirostris
- Eastern Long-billed Lark, Certhilauda semitorquata
- Karoo Long-billed Lark, Certhilauda subcoronata
- Benguela Lark, Certhilauda benguelensis
- Short-clawed Lark, Certhilauda chuana
- Dune Lark, Certhilauda erythrochlamys
- Karoo Lark, Certhilauda albescens
- Barlow's Lark, Certhilauda barlowi
- Ferruginous Lark, Certhilauda burra
- Spike-heeled Lark, Chersomanes albofasciata
- Black-eared Sparrow-lark, Eremopterix australis
- Chestnut-backed Sparrow-lark, Eremopterix leucotis
- Black-crowned Sparrow-lark, Eremopterix nigriceps
- Grey-backed Sparrow-lark, Eremopterix verticalis
- Chestnut-headed Sparrow-lark, Eremopterix signata
- Fischer's Sparrow-lark, Eremopterix leucopareia
- Ashy-crowned Sparrow-lark, Eremopterix grisea
- Bar-tailed Lark, Ammomanes cincturus
- Rufous-tailed Lark, Ammomanes phoenicurus
- Desert Lark, Ammomanes deserti
- Gray's Lark, Ammomanes grayi
- Greater Hoopoe-lark, Alaemon alaudipes
- Lesser Hoopoe-lark, Alaemon hamertoni
- Thick-billed Lark, Ramphocoris clotbey
- Calandra Lark, Melanocorypha calandra
- Bimaculated Lark, Melanocorypha bimaculata
- Tibetan Lark, Melanocorypha maxima
- Mongolian Lark, Melanocorypha mongolica
- White-winged Lark, Melanocorypha leucoptera
- Black Lark, Melanocorypha yeltoniensis
- Greater Short-toed Lark, Calandrella brachydactyla
- Blanford's Lark, Calandrella blanfordi
- Hume's Lark, Calandrella acutirostris
- Lesser Short-toed Lark, Calandrella rufescens
- Red-capped Lark, Calandrella cinerea
- Asian Short-toed Lark, Calandrella cheleensis
- Sand Lark, Calandrella raytal
- Somali Short-toed Lark, Calandrella somalica
- Pink-billed Lark, Spizocorys conirostris
- Botha's Lark, Spizocorys fringillaris
- Sclater's Lark, Spizocorys sclateri
- Obbia Lark, Spizocorys obbiensis
- Masked Lark, Spizocorys personata
- Dunn's Lark, Eremalauda dunni
- Stark's Lark, Eremalauda starki
- Dupont's Lark, Chersophilus duponti
- Crested Lark, Galerida cristata
- Thekla Lark, Galerida theklae
- Malabar Lark, Galerida malabarica
- Sun Lark, Galerida modesta
- Sykes's Lark, Tawny Lark or Sykes' Crested Lark, Galerida deva
- Large-billed Lark, Galerida magnirostris
- Short-tailed Lark, Pseudalaemon fremantlii
- Wood Lark, Lullula arborea
- Skylark, Alauda arvensis
- Japanese Skylark, Alauda japonica
- Oriental Skylark, Alauda gulgula
- Raso Skylark, Alauda razae
- Shore Lark or Horned Lark, Eremophila alpestris
- Temminck's Lark, Eremophila bilopha
See also
- Lark Bunting
- Lark Sparrow
- Magpie-lark (Neither a lark nor a magpie, but a giant Monarch flycatcher)
- Meadowlark
- Titlark, a synonym for Meadow Pipit
- Songlark
References
- Perrins, Christopher (ed.) (2003). Firefly Encyclopedia of Birds. Firefly Books. ISBN 1-55297-777-3.
External links
Wikispecies has information related to:
Alaudidae
- Lark videos on the Internet Bird Collection
