Voice
Song is a 'chleeep-chleeep-trrr-trrrrrr', uttered from the top of bushes or in aerial display. Song is shorter and higher pitched than that of Barlow's Lark (Certhilauda barlowi), with only 1- 2 lead-in notes. A gutteral rattle uttered in alarm.
Karoo Lark (Calendulauda albescens) [XC392337]
by Eduardo Patrial from Eierkop area, R355, Western Cape, South Africa (song)
Karoo Lark (Calendulauda albescens) [XC392336]
by Rapha\u00ebl Nussbaumer from Eierkop area, R355, Western Cape, South Africa (song)
Subspecies
Forms a superspecies with Red Lark (Calendulauda burra), Barlow's Lark (Certhilauda barlowi) and Dune Lark (Calendulauda erythrochlamys), and is basal within this group. Hybridizes with Barlow's Lark (Certhilauda barlowi) in north-west of range (narrow zone between Port Nolloth and R Orange). Geographical variation marked in Northern Cape, with switch from coastal subspecies codea to inland guttata remarkably sharp (complete replacement within a few kilometres) and few intermediates; otherwise, clinal variation between subspecies broad in some areas. Other named taxa are saldanhae, which is an intergrade between nominate and guttata, and calviniensis, which is intermediate between latter and karruensis.
The following 4 subspecies are recognised:
codea (Smith, A, 1843) - Port Nolloth south to Elands Bay, in north-western South Africa.
albescens (Lafresnaye, 1839) - Saldanha Bay south to Cape Town.
guttata (Lafresnaye, 1839) - Western parts (except coastal areas) of northern Cape (southern from Richtersveld) and western Cape.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet