Ammomanes cinctura
The Bar-tailed Lark, Ammomanes cinctura, is a small, cryptically colored passerine perfectly adapted to the harsh, open desert environments it inhabits. Measuring approximately 13-16 cm in length with a wingspan of 25-30 cm and weighing 15-25 grams, its plumage is predominantly sandy-rufous to pale grey-brown on the upperparts, blending seamlessly with its arid surroundings. Its underparts are off-white, sometimes exhibiting faint streaking on the breast, and it possesses a short, conical bil...
Found in extremely arid and semi-arid deserts, rocky plains, gravelly wadis, and sparse steppe vegetation, typically at low to moderate elevations.
Feeds primarily on insects, especially beetles and ants, supplemented with various small seeds and plant material, foraging by gleaning and probing the ground.
Primarily diurnal, Bar-tailed Larks are highly inconspicuous and active during the cooler parts of the day, often seeking shelter from intense heat under vegetation or rocks. They forage on the ground with a distinctive shuffling walk, gleaning insects and seeds. Males establish and defend territ...
The Bar-tailed Lark has a wide but disjunct distribution across the Palearctic arid zones, extending from North Africa eastward through the Middle East, Arabian Peninsula, and into Central Asia. Breeding populations are found across the Sahara Desert in countries like Morocco, Algeria, Libya, and...
Least Concern
- The Bar-tailed Lark's sandy plumage provides exceptional camouflage, allowing it to virtually disappear against desert backdrops. - It is highly adapted to arid environments, often able to survive without direct access to water by obtaining moisture from its diet of insects and succulent plants...