UMary Allen
Ama-Larks yizinyoni ezincane eziculayo. Emhlabeni jikelele kunezinhlobo ezingaba ngu-90, eYurophu, kunezinhlobo eziyishumi nanye. Okwaziwa kakhulu yi-skylark, i-woodlark, i-crested lark, ne-lark enezinzwane ezimfishane. Ezinye zalezi zinhlobo zamachibi zichitha unyaka wonke endaweni eyodwa. Ngakho bahlezi. Abanye bathuthela eSpain nasePortugal, kanti abanye bathuthela e-Afrika. Ngakho ziyizinyoni ezifudukayo.
Okukhethekile ngamalark ingoma yawo. Ngokuphindaphindiwe, izimbongi nabaculi baye babhala ngakho noma balingise umculo wabo ekuculeni ama-larks. Bangakwazi ukukhuphuka ummango bese bejikela phansi, bahlale becula.
AmaLark akha izidleke zawo phansi. Badinga umhlaba okungekho mlimi osebenzayo okwamanje ongalungiswanga ngabantu. Lapho bemba umgodi omncane bawuvale. Ngenxa yokuthi zimbalwa futhi ziyancipha izindawo ezinjalo, ayancipha ama-larks azithathela ezinye izinhlobo zezilwane. Abanye abalimi bashiya ingxenye yensimu phakathi nensimu ingakathintwa ama-lark. Lokhu kubizwa ngokuthi "iwindi le-lark".
Ama-lark ezinsikazi azalela amaqanda kanye noma kabili ngonyaka, cishe amabili kuya kwayisithupha isikhathi ngasinye. Lokho kuncike ohlotsheni lwama-lark. Ngokuvamile, insikazi kuphela ifukamela, ehlala cishe amasonto amabili. Bobabili abazali babe sebezondla ndawonye izingane zabo. Ngemva kwesonto elihle, amaphuphu ayandiza aphume.
Ama-lark awakhethi ekudleni kwawo: adla amacimbi, amabhungane amancane nezintuthwane, kodwa adla nezicabucabu, neminenke. Kodwa izimbewu nazo ziyingxenye yokudla kwazo, kanye nezimila notshani obuncane kakhulu.
Ama-Larks ngokuvamile anombala onsundu. Ngakho-ke zivumelanisa kahle nombala womhlaba. Zinombala wazo wokufihla kuphela ukuzivikela ezilwaneni ezidla ezinye. Noma kunjalo, zimbalwa futhi ziyancipha izinhlobo zama-lark. Lokhu akubangelwa yizitha kodwa ingoba zithola izindawo ezifanelekayo ezimbalwa nezincane zezidleke zazo.