The fawn-coloured lark (''Calendulauda africanoides'') or fawn-coloured bush-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 oc ...

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 occ ...

. It is found in south-central Africa.

Taxonomy and systematics

Formerly, the fawn-coloured lark was classified as belonging to the genus ''

Mirafra ''Mirafra'' is a genus of lark in the family Alaudidae. Some ''Mirafra'' species are called "larks", while others are called "bush larks". They are found from Africa through South Asia to Australia. Taxonomy and systematics The phylogeny of lark ...

'' until moved to ''Calendulauda'' in 2009. Not all authorities recognize this re-classification.

Subspecies

Six subspecies are recognized: * ''C. a. trapnelli'' - ( White, CMN, 1943): Found in south-eastern Angola and south-western Zambia * Damaraland fawn-coloured lark or Naivasha fawn-coloured lark (''C. a. harei'') - ( Roberts, 1917): Found from central Namibia to south-western Botswana and north-western South Africa. * ''C. a. makarikari'' - (Roberts, 1932): Found from south-western Angola and northern Namibia to western Zambia and northern and central Botswana * ''C. a. sarwensis'' - (Roberts, 1932): Found in western Botswana, eastern Namibia and north-central South Africa * ''C. a. vincenti'' - (Roberts, 1938): Found in central Zimbabwe and southern Mozambique * ''C. a. africanoides'' - (

Smith Smith may refer to: People * Metalsmith, or simply smith, a craftsman fashioning tools or works of art out of various metals * Smith (given name) * Smith (surname), a family name originating in England, Scotland and Ireland ** List of people wi ...

, 1836): Found in southern Namibia, southern and eastern Botswana, south-western Zimbabwe and northern South Africa

Distribution and habitat

The

range Range may refer to: Geography * Range (geographic), a chain of hills or mountains; a somewhat linear, complex mountainous or hilly area (cordillera, sierra) ** Mountain range, a group of mountains bordered by lowlands * Range, a term used to i ...

of ''Mirafra africanoides'' is broadly spread, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 2,400,000 km². It can be found in the countries of Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

References

External links

Species factsheet
- BirdLife International
Species text
- ''The Atlas of Southern African Birds'' fawn-coloured lark Birds of Southern Africa fawn-coloured lark fawn-coloured lark Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Alaudidae-stub