Red-winged Lark (Mirafra hypermetra) - BirdLife species factsheet

Red-winged Lark Mirafra hypermetra

Current view: Data table and detailed info

Taxonomy

Taxonomic note
Sometimes considered conspecific with M. africana, but the two are morphologically and vocally distinct, with no intermediate forms where their ranges meet in Kenya and N Tanzania. M. somalica perhaps also closely related to these two species, but relationship untested genetically (Alström et al. 2013a). We follow Donald & Alström (in prep) in synonymising the subspecies kathangorensis with the subspecies kidepoensis. Three subspecies recognized.

Taxonomic source(s)
Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International. 2021. Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 6. Available at: https://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v6_Dec21.zip.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	-	-

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2024	Least Concern
2016	Least Concern
2012	Least Concern
2009	Least Concern
2008	Least Concern
2004	Least Concern
2000	Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994	Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988	Lower Risk/Least Concern

Species attributes

Migratory status	not a migrant	Forest dependency	does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type		Average mass	-

Range

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	1,740,000 km²	medium
Severely fragmented?	no	-

Population

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	unknown	-	-	-
Population trend	stable	-	suspected	-
Generation length	3.88 years	-	-	-

Population justification: The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is described as locally common within suitable habitat (del Hoyo et al. 2004). The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Trend justification: The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Country/territory distribution

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident
Ethiopia	extant	native	yes
Kenya	extant	native	yes
Somalia	extant	native	yes
South Sudan	extant	native	yes
Sudan	extant	native
Tanzania	extant	native	yes
Uganda	extant	native	yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Ethiopia	Awash National Park
Ethiopia	Mago National Park
Ethiopia	Omo National Park
Ethiopia	Yangudi-Rassa National Park
Kenya	Dida Galgalu desert
Kenya	Meru National Park
Kenya	Samburu and Buffalo Springs National Reserves
Kenya	Shaba National Reserve
Kenya	Tsavo East National Park
Kenya	Tsavo West National Park
Somalia	Arbowerow
Somalia	Balcad Nature Reserve
Somalia	Far Waamo
Somalia	Jowhar - Warshiikh
Somalia	Xawaadley reservoir
South Sudan	Bandingilo
South Sudan	Imatong mountains
South Sudan	Kidepo
Tanzania	Lake Manyara
Tanzania	Mkomazi National Park
Tanzania	Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Tanzania	Serengeti National Park
Uganda	Kidepo Valley National Park
Uganda	Mount Moroto Forest Reserve

Habitats & altitude

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Grassland	Subtropical/Tropical Dry	major	resident
Savanna	Dry	major	resident
Altitude	0 - 1350 m	Occasional altitudinal limits

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Red-winged Lark Mirafra hypermetra. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/red-winged-lark-mirafra-hypermetra on 22/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/11/2024.