UMary Allen
IiLarks ziintaka ezincinci eziculayo. Ehlabathini lonke kukho malunga neentlobo ze-90, eYurophu, kukho iintlobo ezilishumi elinanye. Ezona zaziwa kakhulu yi-skylark, i-woodlark, i-crested lark, kunye ne-lark enozwane omfutshane. Ezinye zezi ntlobo zeentlanzi zichitha unyaka wonke kwindawo enye. Ngoko bahlala phantsi. Abanye bafudukela eSpeyin nasePortugal, ukanti abanye baya eAfrika. Ngoko ke ziintaka ezifudukayo.
Eyona nto ikhethekileyo ngeelarks yingoma yazo. Ngokuphindaphindiweyo, iimbongi kunye neemvumi ziye zabhala ngayo okanye zilinganisa umculo wazo ekuculeni iilarks. Banokunyuka ngomnqantsa baze bajike bajike, bahlale becula.
IiLarks zakha iindlwane zazo emhlabeni. Bafuna umhlaba ekungekho mlimi usebenza kuwo ngoku nongekatshintshwa ngabantu. Apho bemba umngxuma omncinane baze bawugqume. Ngenxa yokuba zimbalwa kwaye zimbalwa iindawo ezinjalo, i-larks iyancipha kwaye iyancipha kwezinye iintlobo. Abanye abalimi bashiya isiqwenga somhlaba kumbindi wentsimi engekachukunyiswa ngenxa yeekrebe. Oku kubizwa ngokuba yi "lark window".
Iimazi zeelark zibeka amaqanda kanye okanye kabini ngonyaka, malunga nesibini ukuya kwisithandathu kwixesha ngalinye. Oko kuxhomekeke kwiintlobo zeelark. Ngokuqhelekileyo, yimazi kuphela efukamelayo, nto leyo ethatha malunga neeveki ezimbini. Bobabini abazali bondla abantwana babo kunye. Emva kweveki entle, amantshontsho abhabha aphume.
Iilarks azikhethi ukutya kwazo: zitya iimopane, ooqongqothwane abancinci, iimbovane, kodwa zitya nezigcawu kunye neenkumba. Kodwa iimbewu zikwayinxalenye yokutya kwazo, njengamathupha kunye nengca eselula kakhulu.
IiLarks ubukhulu becala zimdaka ngebala. Ngoko ke zilungelelaniswe kakuhle nombala womhlaba. Zinombala wazo wokufihla kuphela ukuzikhusela kumarhamncwa. Nangona kunjalo, kukho iintlobo zezilwanyana ezincinci kunye nezincinci. Oku akubangelwa ziintshaba kodwa kungenxa yokuba zifumana iindawo ezimbalwa ezifanelekileyo zokuhlala iindlwane zazo.