- Calendulauda albescens
Certhilauda albescens
Identification
16-17 cm (6¼-6 in), mass 26-33 g.
A heavily streaked, medium-sized lark
The white eyebrow and throat contrast with the heavily streaked breast
Slightly de-curved bill
Similar Species
The heavy streaking, especially that on the flanks, helps to distinguish this from other larks.
Distribution
South Africa; west coast to southern interior.
Taxonomy
Formerly placed in genus Certhilauda.
Subspecies
Four subspecies are recognized1,2:
- C. a. albescens:
- South West Cape Province (Cape Town to Berg River)
- C. a. codea:
- Coastal South Africa (Saldanha Bay to Port Nolloth)
- C. a. guttata:
- Cape Province (Clanwilliam to Little Namaqualand)
- C. a. karruensis:
- Cape Province (Calvinia and Williston to Oudtshoorn)
Habitat
Usually found in areas with sandy soils, with shrubs and other vegetation.
Behaviour
Diet
Generally seen in pairs, foraging on the ground for invertebrates and seeds; also eats fruit, leaves and flowers.
Breeding
Monogamous and territorial. The nest is a cup with an open dome, built using plant material on the ground under a tuft of grass or shrub. Two to four eggs are laid July-November, often in response to rain.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Hockey, PAR, WRJ Dean, and PG Ryan, eds. 2005. Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa. 7th ed. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. ISBN 978-0620340533
- Sinclair, I and P Ryan. 2003. Birds of Africa South of the Sahara. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0691118154
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved December 2018)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Karoo Lark. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 1 September 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Karoo_Lark
External Links
Search for images using Calendulauda albescens
Search for images using Certhilauda albescens (none at time of edit June 2021)