Short-clawed lark

Short-clawed lark

1. C. chuana, 2. A. grayi
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)^[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Alaudidae
Genus:	Certhilauda
Species:	C. chuana
Binomial name
*Certhilauda chuana* (Smith, 1836)

Synonyms
Alauda chuana (formerly) Certhilauda breviunguis (formerly) Heterocorys breviunguis (formerly) Mirafra chuana (formerly) Short-clawed bush-lark

The short-clawed lark (Certhilauda chuana) is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family. It is found in Botswana and South Africa. Its natural habitat is dry savannah.

Taxonomy and systematics

Originally, the short-clawed lark was classified as belonging to the genus Alauda and then Mirafra until moved to Calendulauda. Not all authorities recognize this re-classification from Mirafra.^[2]

Behaviour and ecology

The species lays clutches of two or three eggs (average clutch sizes in two studies 2.27-2.75 eggs). The incubation lasts for around 15 days, the longest of any African lark species. After fledging, chicks remain with their parents for 6–8 weeks. There is some variation in nesting strategies in the species, with the eastern population (in South Africa) having numerous broods per breeding season and the western population (in Botswana) breeding once per season.

References

↑ BirdLife International (2012). "Certhilauda chuana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
↑ "Certhilauda chuana - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-17.

Engelbrecht, Derek (2005) "Breeding biology of the eastern population of the Short-clawed Lark in South Africa" Ostrich - Journal of African Ornithology, 76 (3-4_ 154-161

Larks (Family: Alaudidae)

Genus	Species

Mirafra	Angolan lark Ash's lark Cape clapper lark Eastern clapper lark Collared lark Flappet lark Friedmann's lark Gillett's lark (Degodi lark) Kordofan lark Melodious lark Madagascan lark Monotonous lark Red-winged lark Rufous-naped lark Somali lark White-tailed lark Williams's lark Rusty bush lark Horsfield's bush lark Burmese bush lark Indian bush lark Indochinese bush lark Jerdon's bush lark Bengal bush lark Singing bush lark

Calendulauda	Foxy lark Fawn-coloured lark Pink-breasted lark Sabota lark Dune lark Barlow's lark Karoo lark Red lark

Pinarocorys	Rufous-rumped lark Dusky lark

Heteromirafra	Archer's lark Sidamo lark Rudd's lark

Certhilauda	Cape long-billed lark Agulhas long-billed lark Benguela long-billed lark Eastern long-billed lark Karoo long-billed lark Short-clawed lark

Chersomanes	Spike-heeled lark Beesley's lark

Eremopterix	Chestnut-backed sparrow-lark Black-eared sparrow-lark Grey-backed sparrow-lark Fischer's sparrow-lark Chestnut-headed sparrow-lark Black-crowned sparrow-lark Ashy-crowned sparrow-lark

Ammomanes	Bar-tailed lark Rufous-tailed lark Desert lark Gray's lark

Alaemon	Greater hoopoe-lark Lesser hoopoe-lark

Ramphocoris	Thick-billed lark

Melanocorypha	Calandra lark Bimaculated lark Tibetan lark Mongolian lark White-winged lark Black lark

Calandrella	Greater short-toed lark Blanford's lark Erlanger's lark Red-capped lark Hume's short-toed lark Lesser short-toed lark Asian short-toed lark Sand lark Somali short-toed lark (Athi short-toed lark)

Spizocorys	Pink-billed lark Sclater's lark Obbia lark Masked lark Botha's lark

Eremalauda	Stark's lark Dunn's lark

Chersophilus	Dupont's lark

Galerida	Crested lark Thekla lark Malabar lark Maghreb lark Sun lark Sykes's lark Large-billed lark

Pseudalaemon	Short-tailed lark

Lullula	Woodlark

Alauda	Eurasian skylark Japanese skylark Oriental skylark Raso lark

Eremophila	Horned lark Temminck's lark

84 extant species in 20 genera

External links

Species text - The Atlas of Southern African Birds

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