IN NO WAY A LARK

Meet Spizocorys fringillaris – Botha's lark - named after the former prime minister of South Africa, Louis Botha. This particular LBJ has the birding world in a tizz. Why? Because there's a chance this Highveld resident might be the first bird species to go extinct on the African continent.

- BY FAANSIE PEACOCK

It has to be said this lark has never been common. In the early 1980s, it was estimated that there were about 20 000 left. By 1992, the total was between 1 500 and 5 000. In 2015, the best estimation was 2 500 at absolute maximum. But these were all just guesses. It's not easy to make accurate assessments for such a small, inconspicuous, quiet bird.

To tick this lark off their life list, birders once streamed to Wakkerstroom – a special farming town at the point where Mpumalanga, the Free State and KZN intersect. Spend a morning here and you could see Botha’s lark, Rudd's lark, ground woodpecker, southern bald ibis, bush blackcap, African rock pipit, yellow-breasted pipit and many other rare Highveld birds. Local guides made a good living by showing Botha's lark to tourists; and guesthouses and restaurants in town flourished.