Short-tailed Lark

Short-tailed Lark

Pseudalaemon fremantlii

Silhouette: Gossipguy and T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Amboseli National Park

In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%

85 Verified sightings at Amboseli National Park From 2019 to 2026
311 In all 4 parks
April Best month
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's spotted

About the Short-tailed Lark

The short-tailed lark (Spizocorys fremantlii) is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania. Its natural habitats are dry savannah, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.

The short-tailed lark was originally placed in the genus Calendula (which was subsequently renamed to Galerida) and then to the monotypic genus Pseudalaemon before it was re-classified to Spizocorys in 2014. Three subspecies are recognized:

Found in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania The diet of the short-tailed lark consists mostly of vegetable material. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
2 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
3 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
4 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Short-tailed Lark in Amboseli National Park?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Short-tailed Lark sighting in Amboseli National Park on a given day, based on 85 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 152nd most-seen of the 362 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Short-tailed Lark in Amboseli National Park?

April

In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Short-tailed Lark in Amboseli National Park on a given day, against under 5% in July–September and December, the lowest months. That is one of Amboseli National Park's wettest months, with about 220 mm of rain against 10 mm in July.

What time of day is best to see a Short-tailed Lark?

Between 9 am and noon

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Short-tailed Lark sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.

Is Amboseli National Park the best place to see a Short-tailed Lark?

Yes

Of the 4 parks where we can rate Short-tailed Lark sightings, Amboseli National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Nairobi National Park (Kenya, about 10%) and Ngorongoro Conservation Area (Tanzania, under 5%).

Which relatives of the Short-tailed Lark live in Amboseli National Park?

Same family: Alaudidae

The closest relatives of the Short-tailed Lark that you can see in Amboseli National Park (family Alaudidae, Larks) are Fischer's Sparrow-Lark (about 50%), Red-capped Lark (about 20%) and Fawn-colored Lark (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Short-tailed Lark sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Short-tailed Lark is recorded against all the birds logged in Amboseli National Park (85 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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