Calandrella is a genus of larks in the family Alaudidae.
Taxonomy and systematics The genus Calandrella was established by the German naturalist Johann Jakob Kaup in 1829 with the greater short-toed lark as the type species. The genus name is a diminutive of Ancient Greek kalandros, the calandra lark. Four of the species in the genus use the shortened name of short-toed lark as an alternate name.
Extant species Six species are recognized in the genus: Image Scientific name Common name Distribution Calandrella acutirostris Hume's short-toed lark from Iran and Kazakhstan to China. Calandrella dukhunensis Mongolian short-toed lark China and Mongolia Calandrella blanfordi Blanford's lark northeast Africa and Arabia Calandrella eremica Rufous-capped lark southwestern Arabia and Somaliland. Calandrella cinerea Red-capped lark Ethiopia and Somaliland Calandrella brachydactyla Greater short-toed lark southern edge of the Sahara and India
Extinct species At least one fossil species is included in this genus: †Calandrella gali (late Miocene of Polgardi, Hungary)Kessler, E. 2013. Neogene songbirds (Aves, Passeriformes) from Hungary. – Hantkeniana, Budapest, 2013, 8: 37-149.
Former species Some authorities have classified the following species as belonging to the genus Calandrella: Buckley's lark (as Calandrella buckleyi) Obbia lark (as Calandrella obbiensis) Sclater's lark (as Calandrella sclateri) Stark's lark (as Calandrella starki) Masked lark (as Calandrella personata) Botha's lark (as Calandrella fringillaris) Pink-billed Lark (as Calandrella conirostris) Raso lark (as Calandrella razae) Athi short-toed lark (as Calandrella athensis) Asian short-toed lark (as Calandrella cheleensis) Kazakhstan lesser short-toed lark (as Calandrella leucophaea) Somali short-toed lark (as Calandrella somalica) Sand lark (as Calandrella raytal)
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