Bird Album
Mediterranean Short-toed Lark
Alaudala rufescens (Vieillot, 1819)
13–14 cmLength24 gWeight
The Mediterranean short-toed lark (Alaudala rufescens) is a small passerine bird found in and around the Mediterranean Basin.
Busiest months: March–April · Most records: Spain, Morocco, Portugal
Where and when it's recorded
Mediterranean Short-toed Lark has been recorded at 73 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 15 countries and regions.
Records by month Northern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Marisma de CetinaSpain647 records
- Doñana PNat – Salinas de BonanzaSpain464 records
- RN Sapal Castro Marim e VRSA – Sapal de Venta MoinhosPortugal317 records
More places
- Cabo Gata PNat – Rambla MoralesSpain265 records
- Tagdilt TrackMorocco205 records
- Doñana PN – Area NorteSpain133 records
- Décharge de BoumalneMorocco128 records
- Delta de l'Ebre PNat – AreaSpain114 records
- Vallée des Oiseaux (Tagdilt Track) – ancienne pisteMorocco92 records
- Brazo del Este PjeNat – ÁreaSpain50 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The Mediterranean short-toed lark (Alaudala rufescens) is a small passerine bird found in and around the Mediterranean Basin. It is a common bird with a very wide range from Canary Islands north to the Iberian Peninsula and east throughout North Africa to parts of the Middle East. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Mediterranean Short-toed Lark?
The Mediterranean Short-toed Lark is about 13–14 cm long and weighs around 24 g.
Where does the Mediterranean Short-toed Lark live?
Its breeding range: Palearctic: southern Europe, central, eastern Canary Islands (central Macaronesia, northwest of northern Africa), northern Africa and the Levant to western Iraq. It is most often recorded in Spain, Morocco and Portugal.
When is the best time to see the Mediterranean Short-toed Lark?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in March and April (Northern Hemisphere).
Is the Mediterranean Short-toed Lark endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Mediterranean Short-toed Lark as Least Concern.
What does the Mediterranean Short-toed Lark eat?
Main food: Omnivore.
What family is the Mediterranean Short-toed Lark in?
It belongs to the family Larks (Alaudidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).
At a glance
- Length
- 13–14 cm
- Weight
- 24 g
- Habitat
- Grassland
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Lifestyle
- Active on the ground
- Migration
- Partial migrant
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 86 mm
- Tail
- 54 mm
- Bill
- 10 mm
- Tarsus
- 18 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Palearctic: southern Europe, central, eastern Canary Islands (central Macaronesia, northwest of northern Africa), northern Africa and the Levant to western Iraq
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Passerines Passeriformes
- Family
- Larks Alaudidae
- Genus
- Alaudala
Other birds in the genus Alaudala
Asian Short-toed LarkAlaudala cheleensis
Somali Short-toed LarkAlaudala somalica
Turkestan Short-toed LarkAlaudala heinei
Sand LarkAlaudala raytal
Greater Hoopoe-LarkAlaemon alaudipes
Lesser Hoopoe-LarkAlaemon hamertoni
Beesley's LarkChersomanes beesleyi
Spike-heeled LarkChersomanes albofasciata
Gray's LarkAmmomanopsis grayi
Short-clawed LarkCerthilauda chuana
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Mourad Harzallah. ↗
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