Page 273 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

LARKS
Order Passeriformes Family Alaudidae Species Eremophila alpestris
Shorelark black pattern on
pale yellow face head duller than
in summer
primrose- and throat (juvenile
yellow face lacks yellow)
tiny “horns”
pale
centre plain wings
to dark
tail
mid-brown broad black
upperparts
upper chest-
band
ADULT
ADULT (SUMMER)
(WINTER)
variable brown
lower chest-
IN FLIGHT
band
white underparts
n odd distribution
Asees the Shorelark
as a breeding bird in
upland Scandinavia and
mountains of southeast Europe ADULT
and North Africa; in between, principally (WINTER)
around the North and Baltic Seas, it is a winter bird.As such, it
prefers sandy shores and beaches with strandlines and quiet little
wet and marshy spots where the receding tide leaves little pools FLIGHT: swift, swooping, undulating, with
and patches of shrubby vegetation. It may mix with Snow frequent wing closures; often circles around low over
Buntings in such places. Before leaving in spring, ground before landing.
groups of Shorelarks may develop full summer colours
as the dull feather edges of winter wear away, creating
a pattern quite unlike other European larks. Breeding
birds in the Balkans are greyer, less brown, on the back
than northern birds.
VOICE Pipit-like, thin tseeeep or louder seep-seep;
prolonged repetition of quiet warbling song from
perch or in flight.
NESTING Hair-lined grass cup, on ground; 4 eggs;
1 or 2 broods; May–July. HANDSOME LARK
FEEDING Creeps about unobtrusively on ground, Inconspicuous as it feeds on the ground, the Shorelark is nevertheless
taking seeds, insects, crustaceans, and tiny molluscs. an attractive bird close up.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Breeds in mountainous areas of
plain head ROCK PIPIT Scandinavia. In winter, quite scarce
pattern see p.281
and local around Baltic and North
smaller and Seas. Mostly coastal, on beaches
slimmer
and marshes especially just around
streaked high-tide mark, less often on
chest
nearby open arable land.
longer
SKYLARK legs Seen in the UK
see p.265 JF M A M J JA S ON D
Length 14–17cm (5 1 ⁄2 –6 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 30–35cm (12–14in) Weight 35–45g (1 1 ⁄4 –1 5 ⁄8oz)
Social Small flocks Lifespan Up to 5 years Status Secure†
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