Agulhas long-billed lark

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About Agulhas long-billed lark

It is a small passerine bird.
It builds nests on the ground mainly in Renosterveld fynbos, a type of vegetation filled with grasses and wild spring flowers.
It is a South African endemic species restricted to the Agulhas plains.
These are generally “little brown birds” that are often difficult to identify.
These larks prefer to nest in Renosterveld.
Habitat: It appears to have adapted quite well to its modified habitats, like farmlands, although its distribution is patchy for unknown reasons.
Distribution: Its restricted range is centred on the Agulhas arable farmlands, from east of the Hottentots-Holland mountain range to Mossel Bay.
Conservation status
- IUCN: Near-threatened
Threats: Land use changes or any freak occurrence could be detrimental to the whole species and to other species that depend on this vegetation.

What is a passerine bird?

A passerine or passeriform is a member of the order Passeriformes, the largest order of birds, containing more than half of all species.
They are also known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds.
Passerines are all terrestrial, found on all continents except Antarctica.

Q1) What is endemism?

It is a term used in biology to talk about the distribution of a taxon limited to a small geographic area and which can therefore be found naturally in this place. In consequence, endemic species are those that live in a limited area, such as a mountain range, lake or island, among others.

Source: South Africa’s Agulhas long-billed lark: adapting and surviving despite farming taking over their nesting grounds