- Asian Short-toed Lark
 - Asian Short-toed Lark
+4
 - Asian Short-toed Lark
Watch
 - Asian Short-toed Lark
Listen

Asian Short-toed Lark Alaudala cheleensis Scientific name definitions

Per Alström, Sundev Gombobaatar, and Paul F. Donald
Version: 2.0 — Published October 24, 2023
Revision Notes

Sign in to see your badges

Introduction

The Asian Short-toed Lark is a small lark with distinct streaking above and on the breast, a rather short, stubby bill and distinct primary projection beyond the tips of the tertials. It occurs from Central Asia to northeast China, in various dry, sparsely vegetated habitats, where it appears to be mainly or entirely resident.

The Asian Short-toed Lark has a convoluted taxonomic history, and it has often been treated as conspecific with the Mediterranean Short-toed Lark (Alaudala rufescens) and Turkestan Short-toed Lark (Alaudala heinei), under the name Lesser Short-toed Lark (A. rufescens or, earlier, Calandrella rufescens). When separated as a distinct species, it has sometimes included two of the present subspecies of the Turkestan Short-toed Lark. All of the present Alaudala species were previously placed in the genus Calandrella.

Distribution of the Asian Short-toed Lark - Range Map
Enlarge
  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Asian Short-toed Lark

Recommended Citation

Alström, P., S. Gombobaatar, and P. F. Donald (2023). Asian Short-toed Lark (Alaudala cheleensis), version 2.0. In Birds of the World (P. G. Rodewald and B. K. Keeney, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.lstlar2.02