Page 270 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

LARKS
Order Passeriformes Family Alaudidae Species Lullula arborea
Woodlark rich tan and
black streaks
on cap
short crest
long whitish stripe
over eye to back
of neck dark-
buff-black-buff edged,
wing patch rufous
black-streaked, bright cheeks
buff-brown back
(juvenile spotted paler)
ADULT
black and
very white wing dark streaks
short tail, patch on whitish
white at chest
corners
whitish belly
IN FLIGHT
ADULT
ADULT

FLIGHT: distinctively floppy, on rounded wings, tail
very short, in series of deep undulations.
ne of the smallest and prettiest of the larks, the Woodlark is
Oprincipally a bird of open woodland, woodland clearings, sandy
heaths, and felled or replanted conifer plantations on sandy soils. In early
spring, males sing from trees or in a wandering, circling song-flight, producing
a highly distinctive song. In winter, small flocks GROUND FEEDER
wander widely over cultivated ground and under The Woodlark spends most of its
thinly scattered trees.When feeding Woodlarks time feeding or standing on the
are approached, they may fly off at some distance, ground, or on low logs and stumps.
or crouch and rely on camouflage to avoid
detection, not flying up until the last moment.
VOICE Call varies on three-syllable pattern,
first low and quiet t’loo-i or ti-loooi; song rich,
slow, fluty diminuendos, tlootlootloo, twee twee
twee twee, dyoo dyoo dyoo dyoo, dlui dlui dlui,in
high, circling flight.
NESTING Hair- and grass-lined nest on ground
near bush; 3 or 4 eggs; 2 broods;April–June.
FEEDING Picks up insects and small seeds from
ground, often on bare, sandy patches. OCCURRENCE
Widespread up to S Great Britain
SIMILAR SPECIES and S Scandinavia; in summer,
only in north and east of range,
SKYLARK CRESTED LARK upstanding crest breeding in open woodland, on
see p.265 see p.266 thicker bushy heaths, and especially in
smaller and bill felled woodland such as extensive
rustier
conifer plantations with areas of
bare, sandy ground and short
larger paler and
plainer grass. On fields in winter.
longer
tail LINNET 2; Seen in the UK
see p.382 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 15cm (6in) Wingspan 27–30cm (10 1 ⁄2 –12in) Weight 24–36g ( 7 ⁄8 –1 5 ⁄16oz)
Social Winter flocks Lifespan Up to 5 years Status Vulnerable
268