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Desert Lark and Bar-tailed Lark

Ammomanes deserti and Ammomanes cinctura

Resident

Not found at Neolithic WF16

The Desert Lark occurs in stony deserts and on rocky hill slopes in arid mountains. The Bar-tailed Lark inhabits flat sandy or stony areas. The Desert Lark is one of the most common bird species in Wadi Dana and Faynan.

The Bar-tailed Lark is less common and restricted to the sandy plains around Wadi Fidan. Desert Larks build ‘ramparts’ around their nests. These stone constructions improve the camouflage of the nest, defend the nest against the wind, and help to keep it cool. The Bar-tailed Lark is the most desert-adapted of the lark family, often inhabiting regions with less than 100 millimetres of rainfall a year. It rarely stands still when foraging, pausing only slightly between bursts of running.

 

Image credit: ‘Desert Lark’ by Fares Khoury from Jordan BirdWatch

Image credit: ‘Bar-tailed Lark’ by Fares Khoury from Jordan BirdWatch