Large-billed lark
| Large-billed lark | |
|---|---|
 | |
| At Namaqua National Park, Northern Cape, 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) | |
The large-billed lark or southern thick-billed lark (Galerida magnirostris) is a small passerine bird. It is a resident breeder in southern South Africa, Lesotho and southernmost Namibia. The name "large-billed lark" may also refer to Bradfield's lark, a subspecies of Sabota lark.
Habitat and breeding
The natural habitat of the large-billed lark is fynbos, karoo scrub and mountain grassland. It is also found in cultivated and fallow agricultural land. Like other larks, it nests on the ground. Its food is seeds and insects, the latter especially in the breeding season.
Identification
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 bicoloured bill distinguished this species from all other African larks.
The call of this very vocal species is a soft creaking treeeeleeeeleee.
References
- ↑ BirdLife International (2012). "Galerida magnirostris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- Sinclair, Hockey and Tarboton, SASOL Birds of Southern Africa, ISBN 1-86872-721-1
- BirdLife International
External links
- Species text - The Atlas of Southern African Birds