Desert Lark (Ammomanes deserti) - HBW 9, p. 577

Taxonomy: Alauda deserti M. H. K. Lichtenstein, 1823, Aswan, upper Egypt.
Was in the past thought to form a superspecies with Ammomanopsis grayi, but apparent similarities now attributed to convergence. Similar morphologically, vocally and in habitat choice to A. phoenicura, and likely to be more closely related to that species. Geographical variation complex, and numerous races named mainly on basis of plumage coloration, which in turn seems strongly related to predominant soil colours; pale and dark birds live side by side in some areas, e.g. Algeria (Hoggar Mts), Nile Valley and Jordan. Although over 30 races have been described, many now usually merged with others, often in rather arbitrary way, for example: bensoni (grey-coloured) and janeti (brown) from Hoggar Mts have been included variously in geyri or whitakeri; intermedia (from El Golea area of Algeria) in mya or algeriensis; mirei (from Tibesti Mts, in Chad) in nominate race, whitakeri or algeriensis; monodi (from the Iriji, in Mauritania) in payni or geyri; katharinae (from Sinai Peninsula) in nominate or isabellina; hijazensis (from Arabian W coast) in samharensis or isabellina. In addition, fratercula (described from Dead Sea region) and borosi (from lower Nile Valley in EC Egypt) considered inseparable from isabellina. Races iranica and phoenicuroides said to intergrade widely in Afghanistan and Pakistan (in region from Kandahar E to Quetta). Thorough review of taxonomy required. Twenty-four subspecies tentatively recognized.