The rusty bush lark (''Mirafra rufa''), also known as the rusty lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in the

Sahel The Sahel (; ar, ساحل ' , "coast, shore") is a region in North Africa. It is defined as the ecoclimatic and biogeographic realm of transition between the Sahara to the north and the Sudanian savanna to the south. Having a hot semi-arid c ...

region of north-central Africa.

Taxonomy and systematics

Subspecies

Three

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

are recognized: * ''M. r. nigriticola'' -

Bates Bates may refer to: Places * Bates, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Bates, Illinois. an unincorporated community in Sangamon County * Bates, Michigan, a community in Grand Traverse County * Bates, New York, a hamlet in the town of Elli ...

, 1932: Found from Mali to Niger * ''M. r. rufa'' - Lynes, 1920: Found in Chad and western Sudan * ''M. r. lynesi'' - Grant, CHB & Mackworth-Praed, 1933: Found in central Sudan

Distribution and habitat

The

range Range may refer to: Geography * Range (geographic), a chain of hills or mountains; a somewhat linear, complex mountainous or hilly area (cordillera, sierra) ** Mountain range, a group of mountains bordered by lowlands * Range, a term used to i ...

of the rusty bush lark is large, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 470,000 km². It is typically found inhabiting the dry

savannah A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the Canopy (forest), canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to rea ...

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of l ...

s of Chad, Mali, Niger, Sudan, and Togo.

References

* rusty bush lark Birds of the Sahel rusty bush lark Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Taxobox binomials not recognized by IUCN {{Alaudidae-stub