Family: Alaudidae (Larks)

Authority: Clarke, 1920

Red List Category

Criteria: A3bc; C1+2a(i)

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Justification of Red List category
This species is listed as Critically Endangered because it has an extremely small range, it is only confirmed to occur at two locations and its range size is decreasing. Remaining habitat is rapidly being degraded by agricultural cultivation and grazing, and the number of mature individuals is decreasing (the total population is now believed to number fewer than 250 mature individuals). A potentially skewed sex ratio may mean the effective population size is even smaller, and the species is projected to undergo a reduction of more than 80% in three generations. The species has apparently been lost from its type locality in Somalia owing to intense land-use change.

BirdLife Species Guardian: Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society (EWNHS)

Population size: 50-249 mature individuals

Population trend: decreasing

Extent of occurrence (breeding/resident): 6,000 km²

Country endemic: no