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24

Eurasian Skylark

(Alauda arvensis)
Alternate name(s): "Common Skylark", "Skylark"
German name(s): "Feldlerche"

Size: 16-19 cm; wing span 30-36 cm
Weight: 25-55 g

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Eurasian Skylark at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "arvensis"

ADULT

MALE

Lateral view of a male Eurasian Skylark with its crest erected (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, Masovia, Poland, March 2019]

Ventral view of a male Eurasian Skylark hovering in display flight; this is the bird whose territorial song was recorded on 22 March 2019 (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, Masovia, Poland, March 2019]

FEMALE

Lateral view of a female Eurasian Skylark (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, Masovia, Poland, March 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a female Eurasian Skylark (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, Masovia, Poland, March 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a female Eurasian Skylark (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, Masovia, Poland, March 2019]

Dorsal view of a (probably female) Eurasian Skylark (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Biebrza National Park, Poland, May 2016]

Race "sierrae"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Lateral view of an Eurasian Skylark in worn plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, May 2020]

Near-dorsal view of an Eurasian Skylark (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, April 2017]

Lateral view of an Eurasian Skylark hovering low above the ground; note the long tail with the characteristic white outer tail feathers and the long hind toes (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, March 2019]

Dorsal view of an Eurasian Skylark in flight; note the characteristic off-white feathers on the sides of the tail and the white trailing edges on the wings (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, May 2020]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a juvenile Eurasian Skylark; note the white spots (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2020]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Eurasian Skylark (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, May 2020]

Lateral view of a juvenile Eurasian Skylark (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2020]

Lateral view of juvenile Eurasian Skylarks on the ground (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2019]

Lateral view of juvenile Eurasian Skylarks on the ground, with an adult in the foreground (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Eurasian Skylark (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Eurasian Skylark, crest erected (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2020]

Food, Diet

Lateral view of an Eurasian Skylark with its prey, a flying insect (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, May 2020]

Lateral view of an Eurasian Skylark eating its prey (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, May 2020]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

skylark_dw_20160508.m4a arvensis (Poland) Territorial calls
(male; display flight)
© DW
skylark_dw_20190322.m4a arvensis (Poland) Territorial calls
(male; display flight)
© DW
 
skylark_jp_20230218.mp3 sierrae (Portugal) Territorial calls (male) © JP
skylark_jp_20200517.m4a sierrae (Portugal) Territorial calls (male) © JP
skylark_jp_20200316.m4a sierrae (Portugal) Territorial calls
(male; display flight)
© JP
skylark_jp_20200505.m4a sierrae (Portugal) Territorial calls
(males; Q&A)
© JP

More Eurasian Skylark sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.