A large, robust rusty lark with a short crest, a hefty bill, and a prominent rufous wing panel that is obvious in flight. Geographically very variable, and there may be cryptic species nested within this complex. Pairs are resident in open grassland, grassy savanna, woodland, and cultivation. It is most conspicuous in the spring and summer, when it perches up singing a sweet, simple song of 3-5 notes such as “treee-leee-treeloo,” occasionally drooping its wings and jumping with a small flutter, exposing the rufous wings that it shares with some other larks. The similar Red-winged Lark is larger than Rufous-naped Lark and less compact, with a longer tail and blackish patches on the sides of the neck.