The sabota lark (''Calendulauda sabota'') is a species of

lark Larks are passerine birds of the family Alaudidae. Larks have a cosmopolitan distribution with the largest number of species occurring in Africa. Only a single species, the horned lark, occurs in North America, and only Horsfield's bush lark oc ...

in the family

Alaudidae Larks are passerine birds of the family Alaudidae. Larks have a cosmopolitan distribution with the largest number of species occurring in Africa. Only a single species, the horned lark, occurs in North America, and only Horsfield's bush lark oc ...

. It is found in southern Africa in its natural

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

s of dry

savannah A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to ...

, moist savannah, and subtropical or tropical dry

shrubland Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity. It ...

Taxonomy and systematics

Formerly, the Sabota lark was classified as belonging to the genus ''

Mirafra ''Mirafra'' is a genus of lark in the family Alaudidae. Some ''Mirafra'' species are called "larks", while others are called "bush larks". They are found from Africa through South Asia to Australia. Taxonomy and systematics The phylogeny of lark ...

'' until moved to ''Calendulauda'' in 2009. Not all authorities have followed this re-classification. Two distinctive taxa of this species are respectively known as the large-billed Sabota lark and small-billed Sabota lark. The large-billed subspecies are found in the dry to arid west and south of its range, while the small-billed subspecies are native to mesic woodlands of the north and east.

Subspecies

Nine subspecies are recognized: * Congo Sabota lark ''C. s. plebeja'' (

Cabanis Cabanis is the surname of: * George Cabanis (1815-1892), American politician *Jean Cabanis (1816–1906), German ornithologist * José Cabanis (1922–2000), French writer, historian and magistrate *Pierre Jean George Cabanis Pierre Jean Georges ...

, 1875) — Originally described as a separate species in the genus ''

Alauda ''Alauda'' is a genus of larks found across much of Europe, Asia and in the mountains of north Africa, and one of the species (the Raso lark) endemic to the islet of Raso in the Cape Verde Islands. Further, at least two additional species are ...

''. Found on the Cabinda coast of north-western

Angola , national_anthem = "Angola Avante"() , image_map = , map_caption = , capital = Luanda , religion = , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , coordina ...

* Benguella Sabota lark ''C. s. ansorgei'' ( Sclater, WL, 1926) — Found in western Angola * Bradfield's lark ''C. s. naevia'' ( Strickland, 1853) — Formerly, some authorities considered it to be a separate species in ''Calendulauda'' or ''Mirafra''. Found in north-western

Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and e ...

. It has a larger bill than the other subspecies of ''C. sabota''. Several other terms have been used to name this subspecies including Damaraland Sabota lark, large-billed lark (not to be confused with another species of the same name, ''

Galerida magnirostris The large-billed lark or southern thick-billed lark (''Galerida magnirostris'') is a small passerine bird found in southern Africa. The name "large-billed lark" may also refer to Bradfield's lark. The name "thick-billed lark" more commonly refe ...

'') and Somali fawn-coloured lark. The common name commemorates South African naturalist

R. D. Bradfield Rupert Dudley Bradfield (7 December 1876, Queenstown – 2 September 1949, Johannesburg) was a farmer and naturalist from southern Africa. He sent several specimens of birds and plants (mainly spermatophytes) from Waterberg Plateau (Namibia) ...

. * Ovampo Sabota lark ''C. s. waibeli'' ( Grote, 1922) — Found in northern Namibia and northern Botswana * ''C. s. herero'' (

Roberts Roberts may refer to: People * Roberts (given name), a Latvian masculine given name * Roberts (surname), a popular surname, especially among the Welsh Places * Roberts (crater), a lunar impact crater on the far side of the Moon ;United Stat ...

, 1936) — Found in southern and eastern Namibia, north-western South Africa. Confusingly, this subspecies is also sometimes referred to as Bradfield's lark. * ''C. s. sabota'' (

Smith Smith may refer to: People * Metalsmith, or simply smith, a craftsman fashioning tools or works of art out of various metals * Smith (given name) * Smith (surname), a family name originating in England, Scotland and Ireland ** List of people w ...

, 1836) — Found in eastern

Botswana Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label= Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kal ...

, central

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...

and north-eastern

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...

* ''C. s. sabotoides'' (Roberts, 1932) — Found in central and southern Botswana, western Zimbabwe and northern South Africa * ''C. s. suffusca'' (

Clancey Clancey is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * George Clancey (1881–1921), American actor * Julia Clancey (early 21st c.), London-based fashion designer * Margaret Clancey (1897-1989), American film editor * Phillip Clance ...

, 1958) — Found in south-eastern Zimbabwe, southern

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Mala ...

and eastern South Africa * ''C. s. bradfieldi'' (Roberts, 1928) — Found in central South Africa

Gallery

Sabota Lark - Etosha 0005 (16761249109).jpg, ''C. s. herero'' in

Etosha National Park Etosha National Park is a national park in northwestern Namibia and one of the largest national parks in Africa. It was proclaimed a game reserve in March 1907 in Ordinance 88 by the Governor of German South West Africa, Friedrich von Lindequi ...

(large-billed) Calendulauda sabota ssp. bradfieldi, crop.jpg, ''C. s. bradfieldi'' near

Ritchie Ritchie may refer to: People Surname *Adele Ritchie (1874–1930), singer – comic opera, musical comedy and vaudeville *Albert Ritchie (1876–1936), governor of Maryland 1920 to 1935 * Alistair Ferguson Ritchie (1890–1954), crossword compiler ...

, N. Cape
(large-billed) Sabota lark, Calendulauda sabota, at Mapungubwe National Park, Limpopo, South Africa (18126532598).jpg, ''C. s. sabotoides'' at

Mapungubwe The Kingdom of Mapungubwe (or Maphungubgwe) (c. 1075–c. 1220) was a medieval state in South Africa located at the confluence of the Shashe and Limpopo rivers, south of Great Zimbabwe. The name is derived from either TjiKalanga and Tshivenda. ...

Limpopo Limpopo is the northernmost province of South Africa. It is named after the Limpopo River, which forms the province's western and northern borders. The capital and largest city in the province is Polokwane, while the provincial legislature is ...

(small-billed) Sabota lark (Calendulauda sabota waibeli).jpg, cf. ''C. s. waibeli'', in Etosha National Park, Namibia
(small-billed)

References

External links

Species factsheet
- BirdLife International
Species text
- ''The Atlas of Southern African Birds'' sabota lark Birds of Southern Africa sabota lark Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Alaudidae-stub