Spizocorys is a genus of African larks in the family Alaudidae found in southern and eastern Africa.
Taxonomy The genus Spizocorys was introduced in 1872 by the Swedish zoologist Carl Jakob Sundevall with the type species as Alauda conirostris Sundevall, 1850, the pink-billed lark. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek σπιζα/spiza meaning "finch" or "sparrow" with Modern Latin corys meaning "lark".
Species The genus contains the following seven species: Image Common name Scientific name Distribution Stark's lark Spizocorys starki Far southwestern Angola to Namibia, southwestern Botswana, and northwestern South Africa. Masked lark Spizocorys personata Ethiopia and Kenya. Pink-billed lark Spizocorys conirostris Central south Africa. Botha's lark Spizocorys fringillaris Northeastern South Africa (southern Mpumalanga and eastern Free State). Short-tailed lark Spizocorys fremantlii East and northeast Africa. Obbia lark Spizocorys obbiensis Desert of coastal Somalia. Sclater's lark Spizocorys sclateri Desert of southern Namibia and Cape Province.
Former species Formerly, some authorities classified the following species as belonging to the genus: Raso lark (as Spizocorys razae) Blanford's lark (eremica) (as Spizocorys eremica) Athi short-toed lark (as Spizocorys athensis)
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