Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla) | Photos, Calls and ID

LCLeast ConcernInvertebrates

GrasslandCup nestSmall · 21 g

Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla), photo 1 — Photo: Sameer Shaik · CC BY 4.0

Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla), photo 2 — Photo: Sameer Shaik · CC BY 4.0

Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla), photo 3 — Photo: SIA · CC BY 4.0

Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla), photo 6 — Photo: Sameer Shaik · CC BY 4.0

Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla), photo 7 — Photo: (c) Ani Sarkisyan, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla), photo 8 — Photo: (c) Ani Sarkisyan, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla), photo 9 — Photo: (c) Nico Hernandez, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla), photo 10 — Photo: (c) Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

What the Greater Short-toed Lark sounds like

Sonogram of the Greater Short-toed Lark: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.

Recorded by Philippe_Grange · Song · Arrondissement de Narbonne (near La Palme), Aude, Occitanie, France · CC0 · via xeno-canto

Recorded by Thomas SIGNEAU · Song · Arrondissement d'Arles (near Saint-Martin-de-Crau), Bouches-du-Rhone, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

Recorded by Milan Ruzic · Flight call, song · Municipality of Alibunar (near Alibunar), Južnobanatski okrug, Vojvodina, Serbia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

Several subspecies have been named but there is considerable geneflow and the species itself forms part of a larger complex. This is a small pale lark, smaller than the skylark. It is dark-streaked greyish-brown above, and white below, and has a strong pointed bill that is pinkish with a grey culmen. It has a pale supercilium, dark patches on each side of its neck and a dark tail. Some birds in the west of the range have a rufous crown. The sexes are similar. The greater short-toed lark is paler than the Mongolian short-toed lark which also has a shorter bill.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Greater Short-toed Lark

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 11 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is May, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Greater Short-toed Lark

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 75 countries with regular records, and 10 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Recorded as a rare visitor in Belgium, Finland, Netherlands, Taiwan, Czechia, Nigeria, Seychelles, Turkmenistan, Eritrea, Estonia.

About the Greater Short-toed Lark

The greater short-toed lark 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 is from brakhus, "short", and daktulos, "toe".

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Red-capped LarkCalandrella cinereaThe red-capped lark is 14–15 cm (5.5–5.9 in) in length, with a typically upright stance.

Hume's Short-toed LarkCalandrella acutirostrisHume's short-toed lark is similar in size and appearance to the greater short-toed lark but is generally a duller-looking bird with slightly darker plumage and a slightly smaller beak.

Blanford's LarkCalandrella blanfordiBlanford's lark is 14–15 centimetres long.

Side by side: Greater Short-toed Lark vs Red-capped Lark

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