Photo: Mike Prince from Bangalore, India / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Sand Lark
Alaudala raytal
Sand Lark (Alaudala raytal) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Sand Lark (Alaudala raytal) is a member of the Alaudidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 18.5 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 raytal
Quick facts
- Weight
- 18.5 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Alaudidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Sand Lark is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of arid, desert country, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Sand Lark is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Sand Lark (Alaudala raytal) is a member of the Alaudidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Iran to Myanmar.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 18.5 g, with a wing length of about 8 cm and a tail of around 5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sand Lark?
The Sand Lark is a small bird that weighs around 18.5 g.
Where does the Sand Lark live?
The Sand Lark is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Iran to Myanmar, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Sand Lark belong to?
The Sand Lark (Alaudala raytal) belongs to the Alaudidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Sand Lark eat?
The Sand Lark is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Sand Lark migrate?
The Sand Lark is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Sand 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 Sand Lark make?
1 real field recording of the Sand Lark — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Sand Lark's range?
The Sand Lark has a mapped global range of about 1.3 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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