Gillett's lark

Gillett's lark (Calendulauda gilletti) or Gillett's bushlark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in eastern Africa.

Taxonomy

Gillett's lark was formerly placed in the genus Mirafra. It was moved to Calendulauda based on its vocalizations and plumage combined with the results of a large molecular genetic study of the Alaudidae by Per Alström and collaborators that was published in 2023.

Three subspecies are recognised:

• Calendulauda gillett gilletti (Sharpe, 1895) – east Ethiopia and northwest Somalia (Degodi lark)
• Calendulauda gillett degodiensis (Érard, 1976) – southeast Ethiopia
• Calendulauda gillett arorihensis (Érard, 1976) – central Somalia to northeast Kenya

Distribution and habitat

Gillett's lark has a somewhat wide range, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of over Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.

Its natural habitats are dry savannah and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.

References