Photo: Juan Emilio from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Mediterranean Short-toed Lark
Alaudala rufescens
Mediterranean Short-toed Lark (Alaudala rufescens) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 5 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Mediterranean Short-toed Lark (Alaudala rufescens) is a member of the Alaudidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 24.1 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Alaudidae Larks
- Genus Alaudala
- Species rufescens
Where it lives
Southern Europe, central, eastern Canary Is. (central Macaronesia, northwest of northern Africa), northern Africa and the Levant to western Iraq
Quick facts
- Weight
- 24.1 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Alaudidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
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Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Mediterranean Short-toed Lark is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Mediterranean Short-toed Lark is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Mediterranean Short-toed Lark (Alaudala rufescens) is a member of the Alaudidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL s Europe, c, e Canary Is. (c Macaronesia, nw of n Africa), n Africa and the Levant to w Iraq.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 24.1 g, with a wing length of about 8.6 cm and a tail of around 5.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 11.4 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Mediterranean Short-toed Lark?
The Mediterranean Short-toed Lark is a small bird that weighs around 24.1 g.
Where does the Mediterranean Short-toed Lark live?
The Mediterranean Short-toed Lark is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL s Europe, c, e Canary Is. (c Macaronesia, nw of n Africa), n Africa and the Levant to w Iraq, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Mediterranean Short-toed Lark belong to?
The Mediterranean Short-toed Lark (Alaudala rufescens) belongs to the Alaudidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Mediterranean Short-toed Lark eat?
The Mediterranean Short-toed Lark is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Mediterranean Short-toed Lark migrate?
The Mediterranean Short-toed Lark is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Mediterranean Short-toed Lark endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Mediterranean Short-toed Lark make?
1 real field recording of the Mediterranean Short-toed Lark — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Mediterranean Short-toed Lark's range?
The Mediterranean Short-toed Lark has a mapped global range of about 11.4 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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