Scientific name: Chersophilus duponti (Vieillot, 1820)
Bird group: Larks
Field characters. 18 cm. Robust lark with 'full' body, long decurved bill, long neck and long legs, but without crest. Mainly dark brown with strong black marks. Breast heavily streaked, underparts white. Tail with white outer tail feathers. Shy and very difficult to see, prefers to run away rather than fly.
Voice. Call 'dju-wee' or 'coo-chic', reminiscent of call of Greenfinch. Song, often performed at night, with chittering and sweet fluting tones.
Distribution. Scattered, probably nowhere common.
Habitat. Warm and dry open plains with clumped vegetation.
Food. Seeds and invertebrates. Feeding on ground, also by probing.