Alternative name: Ferruginous Lark
- Calendulauda burra
Certhilauda burra
Identification
Length 18-19 cm, mass 32-43 g. Males larger than females. A large lark with a fairly short, stocky bill. Birds on dunes have a reddish, relatively unmarked upper parts, whereas those found on plains are browner with dark streaks.
Distribution
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
Formerly placed in genus Certhilauda
Habitat
Red dunes with scrub, and plains with Nama Karoo (shrubby) vegetation.
Status
Classified as Vulnerable in the 2008 IUCN Red List.1 Habitat transformation due to overgrazing is the major threat.
Behaviour
Usually found foraging on the ground in pairs. Eats invertebrates, seeds and fruit.
Breeding
Monogamous and territorial. The nest is a cup with a dome, built with plant material on the ground (under a tuft of grass). Two to three eggs are laid August to May, peaking in October.
References
- BirdLife International. 2008. Species factsheet: Certhilauda burra. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 16/12/2008.
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
- 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
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Red Lark. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 2 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Red_Lark
