Sabota Lark

Afrikaans name: Sabotalewerik

Sabota Lark

Photo © Steven Herbert

Calendulauda sabota

The Sabota Lark is commonly encountered in many of the game reserves of South Africa. In areas of sparse grass or bushveld it can be seen on the road or the roadside verges.

Most often they are seen singly. The identifying features are the white eyebrow and the speckling on the breast and back. Both sexes have the same colouration. They reach a length of 15 cm.

Sabota Larks feed on insects and seeds. The insects eaten include ants, grasshoppers, termites and beetles. Spiders also form part of their diet.

The female lays between 2 and 4 eggs into a nest that is built on the ground next to a tuft of grass. If they cannot find a nesting spot with sufficient shade they build a dome over the nest!

The scientific name used to be Mirafra sabota but it is now Calendulauda sabota.

Roberts Birds Names by Edition

Edition	Roberts nr	Scientific name
1st	460	Sabota sabota sabota
2nd	460	Mirafra sabota
3rd	460	Mirafra sabota
4th	460	Mirafra sabota
5th	498	Mirafra sabota
6th	498	Mirafra sabota
7th	716	Calendulauda sabota

Edition	Roberts nr	English name
1st	460	Sabota Lark
2nd	460	Sabota Lark
3rd	460	Sabota Lark
4th	460	Sabota Lark
5th	498	Sabota Lark
6th	498	Sabota Lark
7th	716	Sabota Lark

Edition	Roberts nr	Afrikaans name
1st	460	Sabota-lewerkie
2nd	460	Sabota-lewerikie
3rd	460	Sabota-lewerik
4th	460	Sabota-lewerik
5th	498	Sabotalewerik
6th	498	Sabotalewerik
7th	716	Sabotalewerik

References and further reading

The Birds of South Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Dr. Austin Roberts - Published: 1949 - Page: 191

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 4th Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 2011 - Page: 282

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 1993 - Page: 276

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 6th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1993 - Page: 430

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 2nd edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1957 - Page: 247

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 4th Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1981 - Page: 332

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 5th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1985 - Page: 437

Roberts Bird Guide - Author: Hugh Chittenden - Published: 2007 - Page: 276

Newmans Birds of Southern Africa - 7th Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 2000 - Page: 278

LBJs - Author: Newman, Johnson, Solomon, Masterson - Published: 1998 - Page: 90

Newmans Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 1984 - Page: 276

Ian Sinclairs Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair - Published: 1988 - Page: 200

Field Guide to the Birds of Kruger National Park - Author: Ian Sinclair and Ian Whyte - Published: 1991 - Page: 138

Everyones Guide to South African Birds - Author: John Sinclair and John Mendelsohn - Published: 1987 - Page: 64

Collins Illustrated Checklist - Birds of Southern Africa - 1st edition - Author: Ber van Perlo - Published: 1999 - Page: 51

Birds of Southern Africa - Kruger National Park - Author: Kenneth Newman - Published: 1985 - Page: 148

Birds of the Transvaal - Author: Tarboton, Kemp and Kemp - Published: 1987 - Page: 165

Bird Atlas of Natal - Author: Digby Cyrus and Nigel Robson - Published: 1980 - Page: 181

A Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: O.P.M. Prozesky - Published: 1983 - Page: 196

A First Guide to South African Birds - 6th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Published: 1959 - Page: 75

A First Guide to South African Birds - 7th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Published: 1975 - Page: 75

BirdLife South Africa

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