Cape Clapper Lark (Mirafra apiata) [XC43611]
by Alan Collett from Fields west of Potteberg Guest House, Bredasdorp, Western Cape, South Africa (flight song, display flight song)
Cape Clapper Lark (Mirafra apiata) [XC521339]
by Frank Lambert from Aloe Canyons area, Swellendam Local Municipality, Overberg District Municipality, Western Cape, South Africa (song, short display flight with wing noise and song)
Subspecies
In the past, has usually been treated as conspecific with Eastern Clapper Lark (Mirafra fasciolata). The two were recently resplit on basis of plumage, morphology, display and genetic differences. Subspecies marjoriae also genetically distinct, but plumage differences from nominate slight. Further study needed. Nominate shows clinal variation in overall coloration, from generally more rufous birds in extreme western South Africa (proposed subspecies adendorffi) towards darker birds in south, but these extremes virtually matched by notable individual variation at any one site.
Proposed subspecies algoensis (Port Elizabeth area) very similar to nominate, and not reliably separable, especially in view of marked individual variation within nominate.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
apiata (Vieillot, 1816) - South-western Namibia and western coastal plain and interior of South Africa (Northern Cape and western Cape east to Grahamstown).
marjoriae Winterbottom, 1956 - Coastal plain of western Cape (from Cape Town east to Knysna).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet