Temminck's Lark is distributed along the north of Africa from Western Sahara through Morocco to Egypt and into the Middle East. See the distribution map at Birdlife International. It is found in semi-desert but avoids soft sand. It is found at lower altitudes than Horned Lark E. alpestris.

Compared to that species, the facial colouring is always black and white and the black collar comes to a narrow rather than a broad point.

The generic name is derived from the Greek meaning desert lover and the English name comes from a Dutch ornithologist and collector, Coenraad Jacob Temminck (1778-1858).