Certhilauda curvirostris
Silhouette: Gossipguy and T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The Cape long-billed lark (Certhilauda curvirostris), also known as the Cape lark, Cape longbill or long-billed lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in south-western Africa. Its natural habitats are semi-arid Karoo shrub and subtropical dry shrubland and subtropical or dry lowland and highveld grassland. This lark is also found in croplands, farmlands and coastal fynbos.
The Cape long-billed lark was formally described in 1783 by the French naturalist Johann Hermann under the binomial name Alauda curvirostris. The specific epithet combines the Latin curvus meaning "curved" or "bent" with -rostris meaning "-billed", from rostrum meaning "beak". Hermann based his account of "Le Sirli" from the Cape of Good Hope area of South Africa that had been described in 1778 by the French polymath, the Comte de Buffon in his book Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux. An engraving by François-Nicolas Martinet was published to accompany Buffon's account. The Cape long-billed lark is now one of five larks placed in the genus Certhilauda that was introduced in 1827 by the English zoologist William Swainson.
Three subspecies are recognised: Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | De Hoop Nature Reserve | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | West Coast National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Lark sighting in West Coast National Park on a given day, based on 51 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 133rd most-seen of the 192 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March, August and October–November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Lark in West Coast National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April–July, September and December–February, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cape Lark sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Cape Lark sightings, West Coast National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in De Hoop Nature Reserve (South Africa, about 30%).
Same family: Alaudidae
The closest relatives of the Cape Lark that you can see in West Coast National Park (family Alaudidae, Larks) are Large-billed Lark (about 20%), Red-capped Lark (about 10%) and Karoo Lark (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Cape Lark is recorded against all the birds logged in West Coast National Park (51 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
