Gillett´s Lark

Gillett´s lark (Calendulauda gilletti) or Gillett´s bushlark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in eastern Africa.

Taxonomy: Gillett´s lark was formerly placed in the genus Mirafra. It was moved to Calendulauda based on its vocalizations and plumage combined with the results of a large molecular genetic study of the Alaudidae by Per Alström and collaborators that was published in 2023.

Three subspecies are recognised:

• Calendulauda gillett gilletti (Sharpe, 1895) – east Ethiopia and northwest Somalia (Degodi lark)
• Calendulauda gillett degodiensis (Érard, 1976) – southeast Ethiopia
• Calendulauda gillett arorihensis (Érard, 1976) – central Somalia to northeast Kenya

Distribution and habitat: Gillett´s lark has a somewhat wide range, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of over Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.

Its natural habitats are dry savannah and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.