Page 271 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

LARKS
Order Passeriformes Family Alaudidae Species Calandrella brachydactyla
Short-toed Lark poorly marked dark, often
rusty cap
cheeks
white
eye-ring
pale stripe
over eye dark patch at
dark tail with base of neck
pale centre and
whitish sides
pale brown upper-
ADULT parts (juvenile
dark panel more spotted
between on back)
two pale
wingbars
dull whitish
IN FLIGHT underside
ADULT

FLIGHT: flitting, finch-like or sparrow-like flight
with bursts of wingbeats between closed-winged
glides; song-flight high, bouncing.
small, pale, neat, common lark of south
A Europe, the Short-toed Lark has a
distinctive pattern, with the palest, least-marked
underparts of any of the regular European larks.
Generally looking rather dull and unobtrusive, it is
best located by its calls or song. It likes open plains ADULT
and fields, usually in warm, dry regions, and appears as a
rare migrant outside the normal breeding range regularly
in very small numbers.As a migrant, it is
often found in coastal areas, particularly
sandy fields and grasslands.
VOICE Chirruping, sparrowy chrrit or
trilp, sometimes buzzy like Lesser Short-
toed Lark’s; song of short, spitting,
unmusical bursts or longer, more varied,
fast warbling with calls intermixed.
NESTING Shallow nest on ground in
grass, lined with finer material; 3–5 eggs;
2 broods; May–July. SLENDER LARK
FEEDING Searches ground for seeds The Short-toed is a rather long and slim lark, with the
and insects. long wings and tail giving it a tapered shape.
OCCURRENCE
SIMILAR SPECIES Widespread in Spain, Portugal,
Italy, Balkans, and local in France,
SKYLARK LESSER SHORT- CORN BUNTING breeding in dry open places from
white edge to TOED LARK see p.403
wings in flight; see p.437 cultivated land or rough grassland
see p.265 more bigger to semi-desert. Migrates to Africa
streaked streaked bill in winter. Some wander farther
breast breast
much north as rare migrants in spring
longer bigger and autumn.
wingtips
Seen in the UK
JF M A M J JA S ON D
Length 14–16cm (5 1 ⁄2 –6 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 30cm (12in) Weight 25g ( 7 ⁄8oz)
Social Small flocks Lifespan Up to 5 years Status Vulnerable
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