Sand Lark

SCI Name:  Alaudala raytal
Protonym:  Alauda raytal J.Asiat.Soc.Bengal 13(1844) p.962
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Alaudidae / Alaudala
Taxonomy Code:  sanlar1
Type Locality:  Lucknow.
Author:  Blyth
Publish Year:  1845
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

ALAUDALA
(Alaudidae; Ϯ Sand Lark A. raytal) Dim. < genus Alauda Linnaeus, 1758, Skylark; "Genus ALAUDALA, Blyth, MS. Indian Ornith. p. (1855).  713. ALAUDALA RAYTAL, F. (Buch.) Hamilton Sp.   ...   Aggia Lark, var. A., Lath., Hist. of Birds, VI, p. 308.  The Sand Lark, Blyth.  RAYTUL, Hind.  ... This bird abounds on the white sand-dunes of the Hooghly, where the stream, unchecked by the tide, deposits only fine sand, and the alluvial country round (from this cause) is everywhere light and arenaceous; this Sand Lark being scarcely ever seen except on the flat deposits of the white sand within each bend of the stream; but there they are very numerous, and (as usual) their colour approximates that of the surface.  It is not much of a musician; but often ventures on short snatches of song, frequently without rising from the ground; and I never saw it mount high like its musical neighbour the A. malabarica, whose habits and song closely resemble those of A. arvensis. The haunts of these two species border, and they may commonly be seen and heard at the same time; but this will be on the confines of each other's territory." (Horsfield & Moore 1858); "Alaudala Horsfield and Moore, 1858, Cat. Birds Mus. East-India Co., 2, p. 471. Type, by monotypy, Alauda raytal Blyth." (Peters 1960, IX, p. 44).
Var. Alaudula.

raytal
Hindi name Rētǎl  sand bird, for the Sand Lark; "The Sand Lark, Blyth. RAYTUL, Hind." (Horsfield & Moore 1858) (Alaudala).

SUBSPECIES

Sand Lark (raytal)
SCI Name: Alaudala raytal raytal
raytal
Hindi name Rētǎl  sand bird, for the Sand Lark; "The Sand Lark, Blyth. RAYTUL, Hind." (Horsfield & Moore 1858) (Alaudala).

Sand Lark (krishnakumarsinhji)
SCI Name: Alaudala raytal krishnakumarsinhji
krishnakumarsinhji
Raol Shri Sir Krishna Kumarsinjhi Bhavsinjhi Gohil Maharaja of Bhavnagar (1919-1965; reigned 1931-1948) (subsp. Alaudala raytal).

Sand Lark (adamsi)
SCI Name: Alaudala raytal adamsi
adamsi / adamsii
● Andrew Leith Adams (1826-1882) British Army surgeon in India 1848 (subsp. Alaudala raytal, Montifringilla, syn. Prinia hodgsonii).
● Charles Francis Adams (1857-1893) US collector, taxidermist (subsp. Copsychus saularis, syn. Nesomimus melanotis).
● Edward Adams (1824-1856) British surgeon-explorer in the Arctic 1849-1856 (Gavia).
● Philip Francis Adams (1828-1901) English immigrant to Australia 1854, Surveyor-Gen. of New South Wales 1868-1887, astronomer who observed the transit of Venus at Lord Howe I., 1882 (syn. Todiramphus sanctus vagans).