The Cape long-billed lark (''Certhilauda curvirostris''), also known as the Cape lark, Cape longbill or long-billed lark is a species of

lark Larks are passerine birds of the family Alaudidae. Larks have a cosmopolitan distribution with the largest number of species occurring in Africa. Only a single species, the horned lark, occurs in North America, and only Horsfield's bush lark occu ...

in the family

Alaudidae Larks are passerine birds of the family Alaudidae. Larks have a cosmopolitan distribution with the largest number of species occurring in Africa. Only a single species, the horned lark, occurs in North America, and only Horsfield's bush lark occu ...

. It is found in south-western Africa. Its natural

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

s are semi-arid Karoo shrub and subtropical dry

shrubland Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity. It m ...

and subtropical or dry lowland and highveld

grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur natur ...

. This lark is also found in croplands, farmlands and coastal

fynbos Fynbos (; meaning fine plants) is a small belt of natural shrubland or heathland vegetation located in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. This area is predominantly coastal and mountainous, with a Mediterranean clim ...

Taxonomy and systematics

The Cape long-billed lark was originally placed in the genus ''

Alauda ''Alauda'' is a genus of larks found across much of Europe, Asia and in the mountains of north Africa, and one of the species (the Raso lark) endemic to the islet of Raso in the Cape Verde Islands. Further, at least two additional species are ...

'' (as ''A. curvirostris'').

Subspecies

Two

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

are recognized: * ''C. c. falcirostris'' -

Reichenow Anton Reichenow (1 August 1847 in Charlottenburg – 6 July 1941 in Hamburg) was a German ornithologist and herpetologist. Reichenow was the son-in-law of Jean Cabanis, and worked at the Natural History Museum of Berlin from 1874 to 1921. He was ...

, 1916: Originally described as a separate species. Found in south-western Namibia to western South Africa * ''C. c. curvirostris'' - ( Hermann, 1783): Found in south-western South Africa Additionally, some authorities consider several other species to be either presently or formerly as subspecies of the Cape long-billed lark: * Karoo long-billed lark (as ''C. c. damarensis'', ''C. c. bradshawi'', ''C. c. subcoronata'' and ''C. c. gilli''). * Benguela long-billed lark (as ''C. c. benguelensis'') *

Eastern long-billed lark The eastern long-billed lark (''Certhilauda semitorquata''), also known as the Kaffrarian long-billed lark or Eastern longbill is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in south-eastern Africa. Its natural habitat is subtropical ...

(as ''C. c. semitorquata''). * Agulhas long-billed lark (as ''C. c. brevirostris'').

References

External links

Image and Classification at Animal Diversity Web
* Cape long-billed lark
Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds

Cape long-billed lark The Cape long-billed lark (''Certhilauda curvirostris''), also known as the Cape lark, Cape longbill or long-billed lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in south-western Africa. Its natural habitats are semi-arid Karoo s ...

Fauna of South Africa

Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Alaudidae-stub