Alauda

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Classis: Aves
Subclassis: Carinatae
Infraclassis: Neornithes
Parvclassis: Neognathae
Ordo: Passeriformes
Subordo: Passeri
Parvordo: Passerida
Superfamilia: Passeroidea
Familia: Alaudidae
Genus: Alauda
Species: A. arvensis - A. gulgula - A. japonica - A. razae

Name

Alauda Linnaeus, 1758

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Alauda is a genus of larks with three species found across much of Europe, Asia and in the mountains of north Africa, and one species (the Raso Lark) endemic to the islet of Raso in the Cape Verde Islands.

These birds are 14-18 cm long and live in cultivation, heath, natural steppe and other open habitats. Their characteristic songs are delivered in flight. They are fairly undistinguished: streaked brown above and pale below, with a short, blunt, erectile crest. In flight, they display a short tail and short broad wings. The tail and the rear edge of the wings are edged with white.

Their diet consists of seeds, supplemented with insects in the breeding season. They nest on the ground in tufts of grass, with 3-6 eggs per clutch. They form flocks when not breeding.

Species in taxonomic order

* Skylark, Alauda arvensis
* Japanese Skylark, Alauda japonica
* Oriental Skylark, Alauda gulgula
* Raso Skylark, Alauda razae

References

* Mullarney, Svensson, Zetterstrom and Grant, Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0-00-219728-6