Large-billed Lark (Galerida magnirostris) [XC377628]
by Peter Boesman from Langebaan Country Estate, Western Cape, South Africa (song)
Large-billed Lark (Galerida magnirostris) [XC533506]
by Tony Archer from Aberdeen Plain, Western District, Eastern Cape, South Africa (song)
Subspecies
Has sometimes been placed in a monotypic genus Calendula. Has been considered to form a superspecies with Sun Lark (Galerida modesta), also including Short-tailed Lark (Spizocorys fremantlii) when that placed in present genus, but differences appear too great for such treatment to be warranted. Geographical variation largely clinal, with clines of increasing body size and decreasing bill size from west to east. Birds from Lesotho sometimes separated as subspecies montivaga, but probably better merged with harei.
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
sedentaria Clancey, 1993 - Karoo areas of extreme south-western Namibia and western South Africa (east to Griqualand West).
magnirostris (Stephens, 1826) - Winter rainfall area of south-western South Africa.
harei (Roberts, 1924) - Western grasslands of South Africa and Lesotho.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet