Fawn-colored Lark

The Fawn-coloured Lark, known scientifically as Calendulauda africanoides, is a modestly plumaged species of lark belonging to the Alaudidae family. This bird, with its subtle fawn hues, blends seamlessly into the savannas and arid landscapes it calls home.

Identification Tips

When attempting to identify the Fawn-coloured Lark, look for its overall sandy to fawn colouration, which provides excellent camouflage against the dry grasslands. Its appearance is rather unassuming, lacking the bold markings of some other lark species.

Subspecies

There are six recognized subspecies of the Fawn-coloured Lark, each with a distribution that spans various regions across south-central Africa. These include C. a. trapnelli, C. a. harei (also known as the Damaraland or Naivasha Fawn-coloured Lark), C. a. makarikari, C. a. sarwensis, C. a. vincenti, and the nominate C. a. africanoides.

Distribution and Habitat

The Fawn-coloured Lark has a broad range across south-central Africa, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 2.4 million square kilometers. Its habitat includes countries such as Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This species thrives in open landscapes, often with sparse vegetation, where its colouration allows it to remain inconspicuous.

Conservation Status

The IUCN Red List has classified the Fawn-coloured Lark as Least Concern, indicating that, at present, there are no immediate threats to its population levels that would warrant a more urgent conservation status.

Taxonomy and Systematics

Initially placed within the genus Mirafra, the Fawn-coloured Lark was reclassified to the genus Calendulauda in 2009. However, it's worth noting that not all authorities have accepted this taxonomic change.

References

For those interested in further information, references include the IUCN Red List, the International Ornithologists' Union World Bird List, and Avibase, among others. BirdLife International also provides a species factsheet, and The Atlas of Southern African Birds offers detailed species text.