Somali lark

Somali lark
Illustration by Herbert Goodchild
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Alaudidae
Genus:	Mirafra
Species:	M. somalica
Binomial name
Mirafra somalica (Witherby, 1903)
resident range
Synonyms
Certhilauda somalica Red Somali lark Somali bushlark Somali long billed lark Somali long-billed lark Somali red lark

The Somali lark (Mirafra somalica) is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family endemic to Somalia.^[2]

Taxonomy and systematics

The Somali lark was originally classified as belonging to the genus Certhilauda.^[3] The term "Somali lark" is also used as an alternate name for both Archer's lark and Sharpe's lark.^[4] The term "red Somali lark" is also used as an alternate name for Sharpe's lark.^[5]

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized:^[6]

• M. s. somalica - (Witherby, 1903): Found in northern Somalia
• M. s. rochei - Colston, 1982: Found in central Somalia

Distribution and habitat

The range of M. somalica is somewhat large, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 270,000 km².^[1]

Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.^[2]

References

1. BirdLife International (2012). "Mirafra somalica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
2. Compilers: Stuart Butchart, Jonathan Ekstrom (2008). "Somali Lark - BirdLife Species Factsheet". Evaluators: Jeremy Bird, Stuart Butchart. BirdLife International . Retrieved May 11, 2009.
3. "Mirafra somalica - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-29.
4. "Heteromirafra archeri - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-29.
5. "Mirafra sharpii - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-29.
6. "IOC World Bird List 6.4". IOC World Bird List Datasets. doi:10.14344/ioc.ml.6.4.