It is found in southern Africa in its natural habitats of dry savannah, moist savannah, and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.

It is generally sedentary but local movements occur in drier regions.

The species name is derived from sebotha or sebothé, the Tswana generic name for a lark.

[2] Formerly, the Sabota lark was classified as belonging to the genus Mirafra until moved to Calendulauda in 2009.

The large-billed subspecies are found in the dry to arid west and south of its range, while the small-billed subspecies are native to mesic woodlands of the north and east.