Table 3.

Sample sizes, geographic origin and climatic variables for the eggs of the nine larks species used in this study

Species	n	nest n	Latitude	Longitude	Altitude (m)	Country	P (mm)	T (°C)	A M
Hoopoe lark Alaemon alaudipes	18 (8)	9	22° 14’ N	41° 50’ E	1001	Saudi Arabia	42.23	26.22	1.17
Black-crowned finchlark Eremopterix nigriceps	3 (1)	3	21° 15’ N	40° 41’ E	1489	Saudi Arabia	64.16	22.40	1.98
Crested lark Galerida cristata	1 (0)	1	21° 15’ N	40° 41’ E	1489	Saudi Arabia	64.16	22.40	1.98
Red-capped lark Calandrella cinerea	12 (5)	7	0° 52’ S	36° 23’ E	2038	Kenya	193.96	20.72	6.31
	2 (0)	1	0° 37’ S	36° 28’ E	2456	Kenya	275.83	16.07	10.58
Horned lark Eremophila alpestris	4 (2)	4	37° 10’ N	72° 53’ E	4084	Afghanistan	78.28	5.88	4.93
	7 (2)	7	37° 24’ N	73° 30’ E	4122	Afghanistan	142.19	1.40	12.48
	1 (0)	1	40° 02’ N	83° 09’ W	284	USA	206.05	13.24	8.86
Hume’s short-toed lark Calandrella acutirostris	3 (0)	3	37° 11’ N	72° 49’ E	4401	Afghanistan	78.28	5.88	4.93
	9 (6)	7	37° 25’ N	76° 39’ E	4129	Afghanistan	37.20	5.53	2.40
	1 (0)	1	37° 18’ N	73° 03’ E	3707	Afghanistan	119.09	-2.28	15.42
Oriental skylark Alauda gulgula	1 (0)	1	37° 01’ N	72° 41’ E	2802	Afghanistan	86.09	4.15	6.09
Skylark Alauda arvensis	29 (13)	14	52° 55’ N	6° 15’ E	10	Netherlands	302.92	11.27	14.24
Woodlark Lullula arborea	33 (13)	21	52° 55’ N	6° 15’ E	10	Netherlands	219.47	9.90	11.03

n: number of eggs (in brackets, number showing some degree of embryonic development); nest n: number of nests. The climatic variables are mean breeding season values for precipitation (P), temperature (T) and the aridity index A_M (P/T + 10). A lower value of A_M indicates a more arid environment. Altitude values are taken from Google Earth [67].