Large-billed lark | |
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Nominate race at De Hoop Nature Reserve, South Africa | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Alaudidae |
Genus: | Galerida |
Species: | G. magnirostris |
Binomial name | |
Galerida magnirostris (Stephens, 1826) | |
Subspecies | |
See text | |
resident range [2] | |
Synonyms | |
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The large-billed lark or southern thick-billed lark (Galerida magnirostris) is a small passerine bird found in southern Africa. The name "large-billed lark" may also refer to Bradfield's lark. The name "thick-billed lark" more commonly refers to the species of the same name (i.e. Rhamphocoris clotbey ).
The large-billed lark was originally placed in the genus Alauda , and then Calendula until that genus was subsequently re-named to the present Galerida. [3] Another alternate name used for the large-billed lark is the long-billed lark. [4]
Three subspecies are recognized: [5]
The large-billed lark is 18 cm in length. It is relatively short-tailed and has a thick bill with a yellow base to the lower mandible. It has streaked brown-grey upperparts, and a long white supercilium. Like other species in the genus, it has a crest that can be raised in display or alarm. The underparts are cream-coloured with heavy dark streaking on the breast. The heavy bi-coloured bill distinguishes this species from all other African larks.
The call of this very vocal species is a soft creaking "treeeeleeeeleee".
The large-billed lark is a resident breeder in southern South Africa, Lesotho and southernmost Namibia. Its natural habitat is fynbos, karoo scrub and mountain grassland. The large-billed lark is also found in cultivated and fallow agricultural land.
Like other larks, the large-billed lark nests on the ground. Its food is seeds and insects, the latter especially in the breeding season.
The calandra lark or European calandra-lark breeds in warm temperate countries around the Mediterranean and eastwards through Turkey into northern Iran and southern Russia. It is replaced further east by its relative, the bimaculated lark.
Thekla's lark, also known as the Thekla lark, is a species of lark that breeds on the Iberian Peninsula, in northern Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Somalia. It is a sedentary (non-migratory) species. This is a common bird of dry open country, often at some altitude. Thekla's lark was named by Alfred Edmund Brehm in 1857 for his recently deceased sister Thekla Brehm (1833–1857). The name is a modern Greek one, Θέκλα (Thekla), which comes from ancient Greek Θεόκλεια (Theokleia) derived from θεός and κλέος. The population is declining in Spain, but this is a common bird with a very wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".
The Malabar lark, or Malabar crested lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in western India.
The chestnut-backed sparrow-lark is a passerine bird which is a resident breeder in Africa south of the Sahara Desert.
Alauda is a genus of larks found across much of Europe, Asia and in the mountains of north Africa, and one of the species endemic to the islet of Raso in the Cape Verde Islands. Further, at least two additional species are known from the fossil record. The current genus name is from Latin alauda, "lark". Pliny the Elder thought the word was originally of Celtic origin.
Melanocorypha is a small genus of birds in the lark family. The current genus name, Melanocorypha is from Ancient Greek melas, "black", and koruphos a term used by ancient writer for a now unknown bird, but here confused with korudos, "lark".
The red-capped lark, Calandrella cinerea, is a small passerine bird. This lark breeds in the highlands of eastern Africa southwards from Ethiopia and Somaliland. In the south, its range stretches across the continent to Angola and south to the Cape in South Africa.
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.
The sabota lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in southern Africa in its natural habitats of dry savannah, moist savannah, and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
The pink-billed lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in southern Africa. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.
Gray's lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in south-western Africa in its natural habitat of hot deserts.
The Karoo lark should not be confused with the similarly named Karoo long-billed lark.
Barlow's lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in Namibia and South Africa where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The Benguela long-billed lark, also known as the Benguela lark or Benguela longbill is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in south-western Africa. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.
The red lark, also known as the ferruginous lark or ferruginous sand-lark, is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in western South Africa and possibly Namibia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The Cape long-billed lark, 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 shrub and subtropical dry shrubland and subtropical or dry lowland and highveld grassland. This lark is also found in croplands, farmlands and coastal fynbos.
The Karoo long-billed lark or Karoo longbill is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in southern Africa in its natural habitat of subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
The spike-heeled lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in southern Africa.
The fawn-coloured lark or fawn-coloured bush-lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in south-central Africa.
The foxy lark or Abyssinian lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in east-central Africa.
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