19 March 2018

Greater Short-toed Larks – Jebal Hamrah

Whilst birding some pivot irrigation fields near Jebal Hamrah recently I came across very large numbers of Greater Short-toed Larks, totalling several hundred birds. Some of the birds were quite rufous in colour with others much paler and greyer suggesting two sub-species may be present. The trouble with Greater Short-toed Larks is that the geographical variation is clinal in nature becoming paler and greyer towards the east and more rufous and streaked above to the west. The photos below show the difference in colour between the most rufous bird and the other more typical ones. There were probably a hundred Lesser Short-toed Larks in the flock but I did not manage to photograph any.
Greater Short-toed Lark

Greater Short-toed Lark

Greater Short-toed Lark

Greater Short-toed Lark

Greater Short-toed Lark