Short-clawed Lark

The Short-clawed Lark - Certhilauda chuana -  is endemic to Southern Africa, occurring from south-eastern Botswana to the North-west Province, Free State and Limpopo Province. It prefers open habitat, sparsely vegetated with short grass and scattered trees or bushes, particularly where grass has been severely grazed.

Description

The head is cream while the bill is black. It has a white throat, brown legs and a brown coloured back. The eyes are brown. The long, broad, creamy eyebrow is conspicuous. It has buff-fringed feathers on its back with broad blackish centres.

Call

The call is a loud descending peeeeuuuu.

Food

Food consists of insects, mainly termites and ants.

Breeding

The nest is built solely by the female, consisting of open cup built of grass and lined with finer plant material. It is typically placed in a scrape in the ground beneath a grass tuft or small shrub. The egg-laying season is between September and March, with  2 to 3 eggs in a clutch. They are incubated by the female for between 14 to 16 days. They are fed by both parents, leaving the nest after about 11 to 12 days. They remain dependent on their parents for food up to about 4 weeks of age, only dispersing about another 4-12 weeks later.

Conservation Status – Least Concern

It has two disjunct populations. The one on the Pietersburg Plateau in the Limpopo Province,South Africa, and a larger population in south-eastern Botswana and the North-west Province, South Africa. The South African population numbers 500 to 5,000 individuals, and there may be over 20,000 pairs in Botswana. The species currently appears to be stable.

Birdwatching

Ask Aves Birding Tours/Safaris/Adventures to create an Aves custom tour for you or book on one of the following scheduled Aves Birding Tours/Safaris/Adventures: -

Aves North East Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.

Aves North West Birding Tour / Safari /Adventure.