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:

Extinct species

At least one fossil species is included in this genus:

• †Calandrella gali (late Miocene of Polgardi, Hungary)

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)

References