Karoo lark (as "Certhilauda albescens barlowi") to be subspecies of the Karoo lark. Karoo lark "The Karoo lark should not be confused with the similarly named Karoo long-billed lark." The Karoo lark ("Calendulauda albescens") or red-backed lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is endemic to South Africa where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. The Karoo lark was originally classified in the genus "Alauda" and subsequently "Mirafra" and "Certhilauda", until moved to "Calendulauda" by the IOC in 2009. Not all authorities have followed this taxonomy change. Four subspecies are recognized: Formerly, some authorities considered
Karoo Group (i.e. the oldest layer of the Cape Supergroup). The valley floor is covered, in the main, by the next (younger) layer of the Supergroup, namely the much softer Bokkeveld shales. The dolerite of the Great Karoo did not penetrate these rocks, so Karoo Koppies are not seen in the Little Karoo. The Little Karoo contains two other geological features that give the landscape a special character. During the erosion of the African interior following the bulging of the continent during the massive lava outpourings that ended the Karoo sedimentation 180 million years ago, some of the eroded material was