This lark has a long, slender, downcurved bill and a short tail with a white tip. It forages mostly on the ground in southern African grassland and scrub.
It stands upright, with a long, slender, downcurved bill and a short tail tipped with white. The southeastern race is rufous overall, showing that plumage colour varies across the races described.
It occurs in small, loose parties and is largely terrestrial. It forages in stony highveld grassland, Karoo scrub, and Kalahari dunes, and may perch briefly on low vegetation.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.