Hume’s Short-toed Lark Calandrella acutirostris is a small, pale lark with a blackish patch on the side of the lower neck, long tertials, and a bill with a dark culmen and tip. Has less marked head pattern than Greater Short-toed Lark C. brachydactyla and longer and more pointed bill. Asian Short-toed LarkAlaudala cheleensis lacks blackish patch and has stubbier bill, shorter tertials, and more streaking across breast. Photo: C. a. tibetana, Lake Donggeicuona, Qinghai, China, elev. 3950 m (12,960 ft.), July. (Craig Brelsford)Hume’s Short-toed Lark breeds in ‘sandy and gravelly habitats with very sparse vegetation, at elevations of 1000–5000 m’ (Alström 2004). Nominate breeds Iran to western Xinjiang, tibetana Pakistan and India across Tibetan Plateau to central China. Both races winter Indian Subcontinent. Photo: C. a. tibetana, Lake Donggeicuona, Qinghai, July. (Craig Brelsford)
SOUND-RECORDING
Hume’s Short-toed LarkCalandrella acutirostris tibetana, harsh rattling call, near Eling Lake (34.902685, 97.709949), Qinghai, China, elev. 4260 m (13,980 ft.), July, by Craig Brelsford (0:13; 2 MB)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Alström, Per. Species account for Hume’s Lark in family Alaudidae (Larks). P. 585 in del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie, D.A. eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 9. Cotingas to Pipits and Wagtails. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, 2004.
MacKinnon, John. Guide to the Birds of China. Oxford University Press, 2022.
