Mongolian short-toed lark

The Mongolian short-toed lark or Sykes's short-toed lark (Calandrella dukhunensis) is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It breeds in China and Mongolia and winters in southern Asia.

Mongolian short-toed lark
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Alaudidae
Genus:	Calandrella
Species:	C. dukhunensis
Binomial name
Calandrella dukhunensis (Sykes, 1832)
Synonyms
Alauda Dukhunensis Calandrella brachydactyla dukhunensis Calandrella cinerea dukhunensis

Taxonomy and systematics

The Mongolian short-toed lark was originally placed in the genus Alauda. It was then considered as a subspecies of the morphologically similar greater short-toed lark, but recent analyses of both mitochondrial^[2][3] and nuclear DNA^[3] showed that it was more closely related to Hume's short-toed lark. It was split in 2016 by the IOC, although not all other authorities have recognized this re-classification to date.^[4] Additionally, some authorities considered the Mongolian short-toed lark to be a subspecies of the red-capped lark.^[5] The name 'Mongolian short-toed lark' is also used as an alternate name for the Asian short-toed lark. The alternate name short-toed lark may also be used for three other species in the genus Calandrella.

Description

The Mongolian short-toed lark is darker and has a shorter bill than the greater short-toed lark.^[6] The Mongolian short-toed lark breeds on the Tibetan Plateau and winters mainly in peninsular India.^[7]