Cape Long-billed Lark (Certhilauda curvirostris)

Other Names (World)
Cape Long-billed Lark, Long-billed Lark, Cape Lark

Family
Alaudidae (Larks)

Size
20 - 24 cm

First Described (Guide)
(Hermann, 1783)

Habitat
Subtropical and tropical lowland dry grassland and shrubland.

Range (Guide)

Angola (B) (NB), Lesotho (B) (NB), Namibia (B) (NB), South Africa (B) (NB), Swaziland (B) (NB).

Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.

Population
Estimated population is unknown (2012) and decreasing.

Status LC
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Voice
Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (12)...)

Cape Long-billed Lark (Certhilauda curvirostris) [XC515410]
by Frank Lambert from Stompneus Bay Rd, West Coast DC, Western Cape, South Africa (call)

Cape Long-billed Lark (Certhilauda curvirostris) [XC599901]
by Don Jones from Port Nolloth, Namakwa, Northern Cape, South Africa (call)

Subspecies
Certhilauda curvirostris (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into Cape Long-billed Lark (Certhilauda curvirostris) (including brevirostris), Karoo Long-billed Lark (Certhilauda subcoronata) (including damarensis and benguelensis) and Eastern Long-billed Lark (Certhilauda semitorquata) by the BirdLife Taxonomic Working Group following review of museum material and the arguments presented in Ryan and Bloomer (1999). Ryan and Bloomer (1999), in addition to splitting curvirostris, subcoronata and semitorquata, propose elevating brevirostris and benguelensis to species level, but this treatment, based largely on genetic evidence, is not supported by morphological and vocal evidence from museum specimens and scientific and popular literature. There is evident ambiguity in the placement of subspecies and differences between them are slight.

All members of genus with exception of Short-clawed Lark (Certhilauda chuana) formerly treated as a single species, but recent research indicates that they are genetically, morphologically and vocally distinct. Appears to be sister-species of Agulhas Long-billed Lark (Certhilauda brevirostris) (ranges apparently separated by Cape fold mountains, but boundary in Gouda-Tulbagh area not well known), and genetic data suggest that they are closely related to Eastern Long-billed Lark (Certhilauda semitorquata). Range overlaps narrowly with that of Karoo Long-billed Lark (Certhilauda subcoronata) in northern (on eastern edge of Namaqualand coastal plain north of Port Nolloth). Bill length increases clinally from north to south, probably linked to softer, sandier substrates in north.

The following 2 subspecies are recognised:

falcirostris Reichenow, 1916 - Coastal plain from extreme south-western Namibia south to western South Africa (south to R Olifants).
curvirostris (Hermann, 1783) - Coastal plain from R Olifants south to Cape Town.

References
See References.

Files:

JPG files for Cape Long-billed Lark (Certhilauda curvirostris) - 10 files

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BirdLife International

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