Cape long-billed lark

The Cape long-billed lark (Certhilauda curvirostris), also known as the Cape lark, Cape longbill or long-billed lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in south-western Africa. Its natural habitats are semi-arid Karoo shrub and subtropical dry shrubland and subtropical or dry lowland and highveld grassland. This lark is also found in croplands, farmlands and coastal fynbos.

Cape long-billed lark
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Alaudidae
Genus:	Certhilauda
Species:	C. curvirostris
Binomial name
Certhilauda curvirostris (Hermann, 1783)
Subspecies
See text
Synonyms
Alauda curvirostris

Taxonomy and systematics

The Cape long-billed lark was originally placed in the genus Alauda (as A. curvirostris).

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized:[2]

• C. c. falcirostris - Reichenow, 1916: Originally described as a separate species. Found in south-western Namibia to western South Africa
• C. c. curvirostris - (Hermann, 1783): Found in south-western South Africa

Additionally, some authorities consider several other species to be either presently or formerly as subspecies of the Cape long-billed lark:

• Karoo long-billed lark (as C. c. damarensis, C. c. bradshawi, C. c. subcoronata and C. c. gilli).[3][4][5][6]
• Benguela long-billed lark (as C. c. benguelensis)[7]
• Eastern long-billed lark (as C. c. semitorquata).[8]
• Agulhas long-billed lark (as C. c. brevirostris).[9]

References

1. BirdLife International (2013). "Certhilauda curvirostris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)old-form url
2. "IOC World Bird List 6.4". IOC World Bird List Datasets. doi:10.14344/ioc.ml.6.4.
3. "Certhilauda damarensis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-14.
4. "Certhilauda subcoronata bradshawi - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-14.
5. "Certhilauda subcoronata - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-14.
6. "Certhilauda subcoronata gilli - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-14.
7. "Certhilauda benguelensis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-18.
8. "Certhilauda semitorquata - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-11.
9. "Certhilauda brevirostris - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-11.

External links

• Image and Classification at Animal Diversity Web
• Cape long-billed lark - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds.