Eremophila (bird)

Eremophila
Horned lark (Eremophila alpestris)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Alaudidae
Genus:	Eremophila F. Boie, 1828
Type species
Alauda alpestris Linnaeus, 1758
Species
see text
Synonyms
Otocorys Phileremos Pliocalcarius

The bird genus Eremophila comprises the two horned larks.

Taxonomy and systematics

The current genus name is from Ancient Greek eremos, "desert", and phileo, "to love".

Extant species

Image	Scientific name	Common Name	Distribution
	Eremophila alpestris	Horned lark	Europe, Asia, North America
	Eremophila bilopha	Temminck's lark	Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia and Western Sahara

Extinct species

There is at least one fossil species included in this genus:

• †Eremophila orkhonensis (late Pliocene of Central Asia, synonym = Pliocalcarius orkhonensis)
• †Eremophila prealpestris (late Pliocene of Varshets, Bulgaria)

Description

Unlike most other larks, these are distinctive looking species with striking head and face patterns, black and white in Temminck's lark and black and yellow in most horned larks. In the summer males of both species have black "horns", which give these larks their alternative names.

Distribution and habitat

These are larks of open country which nest on the ground. The migratory horned lark breeds across much of northern North America, Europe and Asia and in the mountains of Europe. Temminck's lark is mainly a resident breeding species across much of north Africa, through northern Arabia to western Iraq.