I think it can only be Sabota Lark.
I think it can only be Sabota Lark.
I agree, unsure which race occurs there?
Isn't it a Flappet Lark? The rufous in the wing and general structure should rule out Sabota Lark, I would suggest.
On reflection and looking at related photos from my collection, I think this is Rufous-naped Lark (which, whatever books say, doesn't always (or even usually) have a rufous nape).
Thanks MacNara. This has also been suggested elsewhere. I have a photographic field guide of the Kruger and the closest I get is the Flappet, going by the grey mantle, leg and bill shape and colour, but there is that crest, which the local Flappet lacks...
Thanks again for your help in what appears to be quite a difficult bird to identify. I wish I had side and frontal views to look at.
Looks like a Rufous-naped to me
I wouldn't go on drawings to identify a lark like this. Up to you of course, but I think we need Tib here really. For me I'd first want to know why it isn't a Rufous-naped Lark before going anywhere else with it.I finally put under Mirafra rufocinnamomea mababiensis after seeing drawings in the HBW.
Thanks again for your help
I finally put under Mirafra rufocinnamomea mababiensis after seeing drawings in the HBW.
I wouldn't go on drawings to identify a lark like this. Up to you of course, but I think we need Tib here really. For me I'd first want to know why it isn't a Rufous-naped Lark before going anywhere else with it.
Hi Andy,
I looked this up in Cornell's Birds of the World (né HBW) and the distribution of mababiensis is Angola and far north Namibia and Botswana, whereas you said your photos were from KZN on the other side of the continent.
And in the drawing of mababiensis in CBW there is rufous in the tail, but not on the tertials, whereas your bird shows the opposite, and in addition the rufous on the primaries on your bird seems to be much smaller in extent than shown in the CBW illustration (attached, which I hope is 'fair use').
CBW says pintoi is the ssp found in NE ZA, and this according to the illustration (attached) seems to be the most rufous of all underneath, whereas what we can see of your bird underneath is whiteish.
For me I'd first want to know why it isn't a Rufous-naped Lark before going anywhere else with it.
Overall, I agree with Larry here. Though the bill looks a bit small to me. Flappet would be last on my list, I'm afraid.