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Eurasian skylark

Eurasian skylark

Wikipedia

The Eurasian skylark is a passerine bird in the lark family, Alaudidae. It is a widespread species found across Europe and the Palearctic with introduced populations in Australia, New Zealand and on the Hawaiian Islands. It is a bird of open farmland and heath, known for the song of the male, which is delivered in hovering flight from heights of 50 to 100 metres. The sexes are alike. It is streaked greyish-brown above and on the breast and has a buff-white belly.

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Distribution

Region

Europe and the Palearctic (introduced in Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii)

Typical Environment

Occupies open habitats such as farmland, meadows, pastures, heathland, steppe, and coastal dunes. It favors low, patchy vegetation with scattered tussocks for nesting and cover, avoiding dense forests and urban centers. In agricultural landscapes it uses cereal fields, set‑aside, and field margins, shifting to stubbles and fallow after harvest. In introduced ranges it thrives in grazed pasture and open volcanic or coastal grasslands.

Altitude Range

Sea level to 2000 m

Climate Zone

Temperate

Characteristics

Size16–18 cm
Wing Span30–36 cm
Male Weight0.038 kg
Female Weight0.034 kg
Life Expectancy6 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

Famed for its prolonged, exuberant song delivered during a high hovering flight, the Eurasian skylark has inspired poets and composers for centuries. Populations have declined in parts of Western Europe due to intensive agriculture and loss of mixed farmland. It has been successfully introduced to New Zealand, Australia, and Hawaii, where it occupies open grasslands and pastures.

Gallery

Bird photo
Bird photo
Bird photo
Alauda arvensis - MHNT

Alauda arvensis - MHNT

Nest

Nest

Skylark singing

Skylark singing

Eurasian skylark pictured in the coat of arms of Leivonmäki

Eurasian skylark pictured in the coat of arms of Leivonmäki

Behaviour

Temperament

solitary and territorial

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats with buoyant hovering songflights

Social Behavior

During breeding, males defend territories and perform sustained songflights over open ground; nests are shallow ground cups hidden in vegetation. Pairs are seasonally monogamous, with 2–3 broods in good years. Outside the breeding season, they form loose flocks, often feeding with other seed-eating birds in farmland.

Migratory Pattern

Partial migrant

Song Description

A rich, continuous cascade of varied trills, whistles, and warbles delivered for minutes while hovering high above the ground. Calls include a thin 'tsip' and softer contact notes. The song is far-carrying and often given from dawn through midday in fair weather.

Similar Bird Species

Eurasian sparrowhawk
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Eurasian sparrowhawk

The Eurasian sparrowhawk, also known as the northern sparrowhawk or simply the sparrowhawk, is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Adult male Eurasian sparrowhawks have bluish grey upperparts and orange-barred underparts; females and juveniles are brown above with brown barring below. The female is up to 25% larger than the male – one of the greatest size differences between the sexes in any bird species. Though it is a predator which specialises in catching woodland birds, the Eurasian sparrowhawk can be found in any habitat and often hunts garden birds in towns and cities. Males tend to take smaller birds, including tits, finches and sparrows; females catch primarily thrushes and starlings but are capable of killing birds weighing 500 g (18 oz) or more.

Eurasian spoonbill
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Eurasian spoonbill

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Eurasian stone-curlew

The Eurasian stone-curlew, Eurasian thick-knee, or simply stone-curlew is a northern species of the Burhinidae (stone-curlew) bird family.

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Eurasian three-toed woodpecker
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Eurasian tree sparrow
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Eurasian tree sparrow

The Eurasian tree sparrow is a passerine bird in the sparrow family with a rich chestnut crown and nape and a black patch on each pure white cheek. The sexes are similarly plumaged, and young birds are a duller version of the adult. This sparrow breeds over most of temperate Eurasia and Southeast Asia, where it is known as the tree sparrow, and it has been introduced elsewhere including the United States, where it is known as the Eurasian tree sparrow or German sparrow to differentiate it from the native American tree sparrow. Although several subspecies are recognised, the appearance of this bird varies little across its extensive range.