Foxy lark

The foxy lark or Abyssinian lark (Calendulauda alopex) is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in east-central Africa.

Foxy lark
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Alaudidae
Genus: Calendulauda
Species:
C. alopex
Binomial name
Calendulauda alopex
(Sharpe, 1890)
Subspecies

See text

Synonyms
  • Mirafra alopex

Taxonomy and systematics

Formerly, the foxy lark was classified as belonging to the genus Mirafra until moved to Calendulauda in 2009.[2] Not all authorities recognize this re-classification.[3] Alternate names for the foxy lark include the Abyssinian fawn-colored lark and Somali fawn-coloured bush lark.

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized:[4]

  • Masai fawn-coloured lark or Hewitt's clapper lark (C. a. intercedens) - (Reichenow, 1895): Originally described as a separate species in the genus Mirafra. Found from eastern and southern Ethiopia and western Somalia to eastern Uganda, Kenya and northern Tanzania.
  • C. a. alopex - (Sharpe, 1890): Found in extreme eastern Ethiopia and northern Somalia

Distribution and habitat

The foxy lark has a large range, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 100,000-1,000,000 km2,[5] where it is found in dense, thorny scrubland.[6]

References
  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Mirafra alopex". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. "Taxonomy Version 2 « IOC World Bird List". www.worldbirdnames.org. Retrieved 2016-11-17.
  3. "Calendulauda alopex - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-17.
  4. "IOC World Bird List 6.4". IOC World Bird List Datasets. doi:10.14344/ioc.ml.6.4.
  5. Compilers: Stuart Butchart, Jonathan Ekstrom; Matt Harding (2008). "Abyssinian Lark - BirdLife Species Factsheet". Evaluators: Jeremy Bird, Stuart Butchart. BirdLife International. Retrieved May 1, 2009.
  6. Alberto Mas (June 17, 2005). "Superfamily PASSEROIDEA". Picchio Verde. Retrieved May 2, 2009.


  1. Note: Foxy lark song was recorded in Olongosai, Kenya on April 29, 2008
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