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26

Crested Lark

(Galerida cristata)
German name(s): "Haubenlerche"
Size: 17-19 cm; wing span 29-38 cm
Weight: 40-50 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 Crested Lark at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "pallida"

This race is also called the "Iberian Crested Lark".

ADULT

MALE

Dorsal view of a Crested Lark; based on its behaviour, this is very likely a male (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2018]

PAIR

Lateral/near-dorsal view of a pair of Crested Larks (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Couco, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, February 2021]

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Crested Lark ducking low to the ground (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Frontal view of a Crested Lark looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2018]

Near-frontal view of a Crested Lark ducking low to the ground (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Near-lateral view of a Crested Lark; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 10 April 2020 (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2020]

Near-lateral view of a Crested Lark ducking low to the ground (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Lateral view of a Crested Lark looking at the observer (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Lateral view of a Crested Lark looking at the observer (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Lateral view of a Crested Lark (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Minutos Dam, near Montemor o Novo, Evora, Portugal, January 2019]

Lateral view of a Crested Lark (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2018]

Lateral view of a Crested Lark (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Couco, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, February 2021]

Lateral view of a Crested Lark; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 10 April 2020 (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2020]

Lateral view of a Crested Lark (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Crested Lark (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Badajoz, Badajoz province, Spain, January 2023]

Near-dorsal view of a Crested Lark (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2019]

Close-up near-dorsal view of a Crested Lark (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2014]

Near-dorsal view of a Crested Lark (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Dorsal view of a Crested Lark looking back at the observer (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2020]

Race "meridionalis"

This race is also called the "Greecian Crested Lark".

ADULT

PAIR

Pair of Crested Larks on a beach (photo courtesy of S. Cuturilov)
[Paralia, Greece, September 2017]

Sex unknown

Lateral view of a Crested Lark (photo courtesy of S. Cuturilov)
[Paralia, Greece, September 2017]

Crested Lark using a heap of straw as its elevated perch (photo courtesy of S. Cuturilov)
[Paralia, Greece, September 2017]

Race "caucasica"

This race is also called the "Caucasian Crested Lark". Although found just beyond the boundaries of Europe, we show it here for completeness.

ADULT

Sex unknown

Near-lateral view of a Crested Lark (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Lateral view of a Crested Lark (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Race "brachyura"

Photos of Crested Larks, race "brachyura", are available from Arabia.

Breeding information

Breeding season: Mar - Aug Eggs: 3 - 5 Incubation period: 11 - 12 days Fledging age: 15 - 16 days

The length of the breeding season depends on geographic latitude and can start in February in southern parts of the range. Crested Larks usually raise two broods per season.

Chicks are precocial and will leave the nest around 8 days of age.

Nest building: Female(?) Incubation: Female Dependent care: Female & male(?)

Nest

Type: Basket in scrape Material: Grass Height above ground: N/A

View from above into a Crested Lark nest with 3(?) chicks inside (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2013]

Eggs

Size: 24 x 18 mm Colour: Light greyish-brown, with small darker grey and brown speckles Shape: Tapered oval

Food, Diet

Crested Lark with its prey, a grasshopper (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2014]

This Crested Lark has found something to eat, which looks like some kind of seed (photo courtesy of S. Cuturilov)
[Paralia, Greece, September 2017]

Crested Lark collecting food for its brood (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

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.

crstlrk_jp_20201023.m4a pallida
(Portugal)
Territorial calls © JP
crstlrk_jp_20200412.m4a pallida
(Portugal)
Territorial calls
(+ European Greenfinch)
© JP
crstlrk_jp_20200410.m4a pallida
(Portugal)
Territorial calls(?) © JP
crstlrk_jp_20200503.m4a pallida
(Portugal)
? © JP

More Crested Lark 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.