Page 183 - Atlas Of The World's Strangest Animals

SKYLARK 183

amazing feats typically last a few minutes, but these epic pattern, rapidly ascending in circles to gain and maintain
song-flights may be repeated for up to one hour, with height above the pursuing falcon.And, as they soar ever
birds reaching heights of over 300m (almost 1000ft) higher, they begin to sing! It’s a demonstration of pure
before they descend. Often, their calls can be clearly bravado.The strength and vitality of the song is believed
heard, while the birds themselves are little more than to be a signal to the merlin that his prey is too fit and
specks in the sky. agile to be caught.
What’s even more remarkable about the skylarks’ It’s a feat which is so impressive that it has been
energetic display is that they also sing when they’re being celebrated not just by musicians but also by poets such as
pursued by prey! One of the species’ main predators is Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822), who hailed the bird as
the merlin (Falcon columbarius), a small falcon that is a ‘blithe spirit’ and John George Meredith (1828–1909),
famous for its own aerial prowess. Most birds dart for who asked,‘See’s thou a Skylark whose glistening winglets
cover when predators appear, especially one as ascending, Quiver like pulses beneath the melodious
determined as the merlin. Not the skylark.When pursued dawn?’. It seems very fitting, then, that the collective noun
by merlin, skylarks will often adopt the same song-flight for a group of skylarks is an exaltation.

Skylarks are a ground-nesting species and have suffered over Ideal crops are 20–50cm (7.9–19.7in) long and, once a good
the last few decades because of changes in farming practices. site is found, males start looking to mate.

Breeding begins in the spring and their choice of nesting site is Tracing an undulating pattering in the sky, the hopeful male
influenced by the type of crop being grown. begins his unique song-flight in the hope of finding a partner.

(c) 2011 Marshall Cavendish. All Rights Reserved.