Clapper Lark
Encyclopedia
The Clapper Lark, Mirafra apiata, is a small passerine
bird
which breeds in southern Africa
. It derives its name from the wing clapping which forms part of the display flight.
It has at least three distinctive subspecies which are considered by some authorities to be full species.
The Cape Clapper Lark, Mirafra (apiata) apiata, is found in southwestern South Africa
, the Agulhas Clapper Lark, M. (a.) majoriae, in found in the southern Western Cape Province of South Africa as far east as Knysna
, and, the Eastern Clapper Lark, M. (a.) fasciolata, in the rest of the range, which covers much of the drier parts of southern Africa in Zambia
, Namibia
, Botswana
, Lesotho
and South Africa. Fasciolata differs in display from the other forms, and has a better claim to species level classification than majoriae.
Fry, Keith and Urban, in The Birds of Africa, regard M. apiata as forming a superspecies with M. rufocinnamomea, the Flappet Lark
, which is found
further north.
Clapper Lark is a species of open grassland and savanna, with the two southern forms also inhabiting karoo
, fynbos
and fallow agricultural land.
is a 15 cm long bird , with a brown crown, rich rufous underparts, and a strong bill. Cape Clapper Lark has grey upperparts and a grey face. Eastern Clapper Lark has brown upperparts (greyer in the north of its range), and Agulhas Clapper Lark has dark brown upperparts, although individual variation means that it cannot always be reliably distinguished from the nominate race.
The display commences with an ascending flight with wing flapping. Eastern Clapper Lark then parachutes down with trailing legs. Its call is an ascending pooooeeeee. Cape Clapper Lark has a slower wing clap, and its otherwise similar call is longer and rises in pitch more. Agulhas Clapper Lark has a fast wing clap, and a descending double whistled peeeooo call.
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
which breeds in southern Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. It derives its name from the wing clapping which forms part of the display flight.
It has at least three distinctive subspecies which are considered by some authorities to be full species.
The Cape Clapper Lark, Mirafra (apiata) apiata, is found in southwestern South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, the Agulhas Clapper Lark, M. (a.) majoriae, in found in the southern Western Cape Province of South Africa as far east as Knysna
Knysna
Knysna is a town with 76,431 inhabitants in the Western Cape Province of South Africa and is part of the Garden Route. It lies 34 degrees south of the equator, and is 72 kilometres east from the town of George on the N2 highway, and 25 kilometres west of Plettenberg Bay on the same road.-History:A...
, and, the Eastern Clapper Lark, M. (a.) fasciolata, in the rest of the range, which covers much of the drier parts of southern Africa in Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
, Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
, Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
, Lesotho
Lesotho
Lesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave, surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over in size with a population of approximately 2,067,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name...
and South Africa. Fasciolata differs in display from the other forms, and has a better claim to species level classification than majoriae.
Fry, Keith and Urban, in The Birds of Africa, regard M. apiata as forming a superspecies with M. rufocinnamomea, the Flappet Lark
Flappet Lark
The Flappet Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.- Range and population :Mirafra rufocinnamomea has a large range covering much of the African continent with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 10,000,000 square km...
, which is found
further north.
Clapper Lark is a species of open grassland and savanna, with the two southern forms also inhabiting karoo
Karoo
The Karoo is a semi-desert region of South Africa. It has two main sub-regions - the Great Karoo in the north and the Little Karoo in the south. The 'High' Karoo is one of the distinct physiographic provinces of the larger South African Platform division.-Great Karoo:The Great Karoo has an area of...
, fynbos
Fynbos
Fynbos is the natural shrubland or heathland vegetation occurring in a small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate...
and fallow agricultural land.
Identification
This larkLark
Larks are passerine birds of the family Alaudidae. All species occur in the Old World, and in northern and eastern Australia; only one, the Shore Lark, has spread to North America, where it is called the Horned Lark...
is a 15 cm long bird , with a brown crown, rich rufous underparts, and a strong bill. Cape Clapper Lark has grey upperparts and a grey face. Eastern Clapper Lark has brown upperparts (greyer in the north of its range), and Agulhas Clapper Lark has dark brown upperparts, although individual variation means that it cannot always be reliably distinguished from the nominate race.
The display commences with an ascending flight with wing flapping. Eastern Clapper Lark then parachutes down with trailing legs. Its call is an ascending pooooeeeee. Cape Clapper Lark has a slower wing clap, and its otherwise similar call is longer and rises in pitch more. Agulhas Clapper Lark has a fast wing clap, and a descending double whistled peeeooo call.