LC
White-winged Lark Alauda leucoptera



Taxonomy

Taxonomic note

Alauda leucoptera (del Hoyo and Collar 2016) was previously listed as Melanocorypha leucoptera.

Taxonomic source(s)
AERC TAC. 2003. AERC TAC Checklist of bird taxa occurring in Western Palearctic region, 15th Draft. Available at: http://www.aerc.eu/DOCS/Bird_taxa_of_the_WP15.xls.
Cramp, S. and Simmons, K.E.L. (eds). 1977-1994. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The birds of the western Palearctic. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A., Fishpool, L.D.C., Boesman, P. and Kirwan, G.M. 2016. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2018 Least Concern
2016 Least Concern
2012 Least Concern
2009 Least Concern
2008 Least Concern
2006 Least Concern
2004 Least Concern
2000 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988 Lower Risk/Least Concern
Species attributes

Migratory status full migrant Forest dependency does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type Average mass 45 g
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 3,960,000 km2
Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) 4,340,000 km2
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size 100000-499999 mature individuals poor estimated 2012
Population trend decreasing - estimated -
Generation length 3.8 years - - -

Population justification: In Europe, the breeding population is estimated to number 10,000-50,000 pairs, which equates to 20,000-100,000 mature individuals (BirdLife International 2015). Europe forms c.20% of the global range, so a very preliminary estimate of the global population size is 100,000-500,000 mature individuals, although further validation of this estimate is needed.

Trend justification: The population is estimated to be in decline following apparent local declines, probably owing to the expansion of cultivation (del Hoyo et al. 2004). The European population is estimated to be fluctuating (BirdLife International 2015).


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Austria extant vagrant
Azerbaijan extant native yes
Belgium extant vagrant
Bulgaria extant vagrant
China (mainland) extant native
Finland extant vagrant
Germany extant vagrant
Greece extant vagrant
Iran, Islamic Republic of extant native yes
Italy extant vagrant
Kazakhstan extant native yes
Kyrgyzstan extant vagrant
Malta extant vagrant
Mongolia extant native yes
Montenegro extant vagrant
Poland extant vagrant
Romania extant vagrant
Russia extant native yes yes
Russia (Central Asian) extant native yes
Russia (European) extant native yes
Serbia extant vagrant
Slovakia extant vagrant
Switzerland extant vagrant
Türkiye extant vagrant
Turkmenistan extant native yes
Ukraine extant native yes
United Kingdom extant vagrant
Uzbekistan extant native

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Kazakhstan Aktubek
Kazakhstan Amangeldy
Kazakhstan Chingiztau Mountains
Kazakhstan Irgiz-Turgay Lakes
Kazakhstan Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve
Kazakhstan Korgankol Lake
Kazakhstan Kumdykol-Zharlykol Lake System
Kazakhstan Lower reaches of the Sarysu River
Kazakhstan Naurzum State Nature Reserve
Kazakhstan Sarykopa Lake System
Kazakhstan Tounsor Hollow Lakes
Kazakhstan Vicinity of Korgalzhyn village
Kazakhstan Western and northern foothills of the Kalba Range
Russia (Central Asian) Birsuat
Uzbekistan Saiga Nature Sanctuary

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial Arable Land suitable non-breeding
Artificial/Terrestrial Arable Land suitable breeding
Grassland Subtropical/Tropical Dry suitable non-breeding
Grassland Temperate major non-breeding
Grassland Temperate major breeding
Altitude   Occasional altitudinal limits  

Utilisation
Purpose Scale
Pets/display animals, horticulture subsistence, national

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: White-winged Lark Alauda leucoptera. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/white-winged-lark-alauda-leucoptera on 23/12/2024.
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 23/12/2024.