Crested lark

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Crested lark
Crested Lark (Galerida cristata) at Sultanpur I Picture 118.jpg
At Sultanpur National Park, India
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Alaudidae
Genus: Galerida
Species:
G. cristata
Binomial name
Galerida cristata
Subspecies

See text

GaleridaCristataIUCN.svg
Approximate range of G. cristata
  Breeding
  Resident
Synonyms
  • Alauda cristataLinnaeus, 1758

The crested lark (Galerida cristata) is a species of lark widespread across Eurasia and northern Africa. It is a non-migratory bird, but can occasionally be found as a vagrant in Great Britain.

Contents

Crested Lark in South Hebron

Taxonomy and systematics

The crested lark was one of the many species originally described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It was classified in the genus Alauda until German naturalist Friedrich Boie placed it in the new genus Galerida in 1821. Colin Harrison recommended lumping members of Galerida and Lullula back into Alauda in 1865 due to a lack of defining characteristics. [2] The current scientific name is derived from Latin. Galerida was the name for a lark with a crest, from galerum , "cap", and cristata means "crested". [3] Alban Guillaumet and colleagues noted the distinctiveness of populations from the Maghreb - birds in the dryer parts of Morocco and Tunisia had longer bills while those in more coastal northern parts had shorter bills typical of the European subspecies. The authors sampled the mitochondrial DNA and found they were distinct genetically. [4]

Formerly, the Maghreb lark was considered as a subspecies of the crested lark. [5]

Subspecies

Thirty-three subspecies are recognized: [6]


Description

A fairly small lark, the crested lark is roughly the same size as a Eurasian skylark, but shorter overall and bulkier around the head and body, and very similar in appearance, [7] with a height of 17 cm (6.7 in) and a wingspan of 29 to 38 cm (11 to 15 in), weighing between 37 and 55 g (1.3 and 1.9 oz). [8] It is a small, brown bird which has a short tail with light brown outer feathers. Male and females have no real differences, but young crested larks have more spots on their back than their older counterparts. [7] Its plumage is downy but sparse and appears whitish. The distinct crest from which the crested lark gets its name is conspicuous at all times but is more pronounced during territorial or courtship displays and when singing. [9] [10] In flight it shows reddish underwings. It shares many characteristics with the Thekla lark, with the main distinctions between the two being the beak, the Thekla's heavier black-brown streaks and its grey underwing, present in European specimens. [8]

Distribution and habitat

The crested lark breeds across most of temperate Eurasia from Portugal to north-eastern China and eastern India, and in Africa south to Niger. It is non-migratory, and the sedentary nature of this species is illustrated by the fact that it is only a very rare vagrant to Great Britain, [11] despite breeding as close as northern France. [12] While the bird is not commonly found in Scandinavia today, it could be found in Sweden until the 1990s, with sources reporting six individual birds in 1992 before becoming extirpated in Sweden in 1993. [13] The birds have also been extirpated in several other European countries, including Norway (1972), Luxembourg (1973) and Switzerland (1980s). [8]

This is a common bird of dry, open country and is often seen by roadsides or in cereal fields, although it is also found occupying small, sandy patches by railways, docks and airfields. [12]

Behaviour

Video of singing bird

The crested lark is a songbird, and has a liquid, warbling song described onomatopoeically as a whee-whee-wheeoo [9] or a twee-tee-too. [7] It sings in flight from high in the sky, at roughly 30 to 60 m (98 to 197 ft) above the ground. The related Eurasian skylark exhibits similar behaviour but also sings during its ascent, whereas the crested lark sings either at altitude or on the ground. [14] Their flight pattern is an example of undulatory locomotion. [9]

Breeding

Eggs of Galerida cristata - MHNT Galerida cristata MHNT 232 Sbekia Algerie.jpg
Eggs of Galerida cristata - MHNT

It nests in small depressions in the ground, often in wastelands and on the outskirts of towns. The nests are untidy structures composed primarily of dead grasses and roots. [7] Three to five brown, finely speckled eggs, similar to those of the Eurasian skylark, are laid at a time and will hatch after 11–12 days. [14] As with most larks, the chicks leave the nest early, after about eight days and take flight after reaching 15–16 days old. [12] Two broods will usually be raised each year.

Food and feeding

Largely vegetarian birds, the crested lark primarily feeds on grains and seeds, such as oats, wheat and barley, [9] but will also eat insects, particularly beetles, [7] with food either being scavenged from the ground or dug up. [15] Juvenile birds are fed by both parents, and generally leave the nest before they are able to fly to start foraging for food themselves.

Relationship to humans

Francis of Assisi considered the crested lark a bird of special significance, based on similarities he perceived between it and the life of the Friars Minor: its plain earth-coloured plumage and hood, its humility ("for it goes willingly along the wayside and finds a grain of corn for itself"), and its time spent in song. [16]

Status

The crested lark has been categorised by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as being of least concern, meaning that it is not currently threatened with extinction. [1] Estimates for the global population of mature individuals of the species range from 22,000,000 to 91,200,000. [17] Figures for Europe are less varied, with estimates putting the number of breeding pairs at between 3,600,000 and 7,600,000, or between 7,200,000 and 15,200,000 individuals. In Europe, trends since 1982 have shown an overall decline in the population of the species, resulting in the assumption that the crested lark is in decline globally. [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eurasian skylark</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horned lark</span> Species of bird

The horned lark or shore lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found across the northern hemisphere. It is known as "horned lark" in North America and "shore lark" in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calandra lark</span> Species of bird

The calandra lark or European calandra-lark breeds in warm temperate countries around the Mediterranean and eastwards through Turkey into northern Iran and southern Russia. It is replaced further east by its relative, the bimaculated lark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thekla's lark</span> Species of bird

Thekla's lark, also known as the Thekla lark, is a species of lark that breeds on the Iberian Peninsula, in northern Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Somalia. It is a sedentary (non-migratory) species. This is a common bird of dry open country, often at some altitude. Thekla's lark was named by Alfred Edmund Brehm in 1857 for his recently deceased sister Thekla Brehm (1833–1857). The name is a modern Greek one, Θέκλα, which comes from ancient Greek Θεόκλεια (Theokleia) derived from θεός and κλέος. The population is declining in Spain, but this is a common bird with a very wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malabar lark</span> Species of bird

The Malabar lark, or Malabar crested lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in western India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater short-toed lark</span> Species of bird

The greater short-toed lark is a small passerine bird. The current scientific name is from Ancient Greek. The genus name, Calandrella, is a diminutive of kalandros, the calandra lark, and brachydactila is from brakhus, "short", and daktulos, "toe".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mediterranean short-toed lark</span> Species of bird

The Mediterraneanshort-toed lark is a small passerine bird found in and around the Mediterranean Basin. It is a common bird with a very wide range from Canary Islands north to the Iberian Peninsula and east throughout North Africa to parts of the Middle East. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chestnut-backed sparrow-lark</span> Species of bird

The chestnut-backed sparrow-lark is a passerine bird which is a resident breeder in Africa south of the Sahara Desert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dupont's lark</span> Species of bird

Dupont's lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae of the monotypic genus Chersophilus. It is found in northern Africa and Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Desert lark</span> Species of bird

The desert lark breeds in deserts and semi-deserts from Morocco to western India. It has a very wide distribution and faces no obvious threats, and surveys have shown that it is slowly increasing in numbers as it expands its range. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<i>Alauda</i> Genus of birds

Alauda is a genus of larks found across much of Europe, Asia and in the mountains of north Africa, and one of the species endemic to the islet of Raso in the Cape Verde Islands. Further, at least two additional species are known from the fossil record. The current genus name is from Latin alauda, "lark". Pliny the Elder thought the word was originally of Celtic origin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sykes's lark</span> Species of bird

Sykes's lark is a species of lark found in the dry open country of India. Its distribution is mainly restricted to central India, although stray records have been found elsewhere on the sub-continent. It is identified by its prominent crest and its overall rufous colouration. It has streaks on its breast which are less prominent than those found in the Oriental skylark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oriental skylark</span> Species of bird

The Oriental skylark, also known as the small skylark, is a species of skylark found in the Sino-Indian region and parts of central Asia. Like other skylarks, it is found in open grassland where it feeds on seeds and insects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Large-billed lark</span> Species of bird

The large-billed lark or southern thick-billed lark is a small passerine bird found in southern Africa. The name "large-billed lark" may also refer to Bradfield's lark. The name "thick-billed lark" more commonly refers to the species of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flappet lark</span> Species of bird

The flappet lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae, widespread across Sub-Saharan Africa. The name flappet originates from the distinctive wing flapping sound made during its breeding season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sabota lark</span> Species of bird

The sabota lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in southern Africa in its natural habitats of dry savannah, moist savannah, and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. It is generally sedentary but local movements occur in drier regions. The species name is derived from sebotha or sebothé, the Tswana generic name for a lark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bar-tailed lark</span> Species of bird

The bar-tailed lark or bar-tailed desert lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. Two other species, the rufous-tailed lark and the Cape clapper lark are both also sometimes referred to using the name bar-tailed lark. It is found from Morocco to Pakistan. Its natural habitat is hot deserts. This is in many places a common species, but elsewhere rather less common. It has a very wide distribution and faces no obvious threats, but surveys have shown that it is slowly decreasing in numbers. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spike-heeled lark</span> Species of bird

The spike-heeled lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in southern Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sun lark</span> Species of bird

The sun lark or Nigerian sun lark, is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. Its range extends mainly across the Sudan region, from Guinea to South Sudan. Its natural habitats are dry savannah and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maghreb lark</span> Species of bird

The Maghreb lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in the Maghreb desert of north-western Africa.

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2019). "Galerida cristata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T22717383A155503110. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22717383A155503110.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Harrison, C. J. O. (1966). "The Validity of Some Genera of Larks (Alaudidae)". Ibis. 108 (4): 573–83. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1966.tb07209.x.
  3. ↑ Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp.  122, 169. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  4. ↑ Guillaumet, Alban; Pons, Jean-Marc; Godelle, Bernard; Crochet, Pierre-Andre (2006). "History of the Crested Lark in the Mediterranean region as revealed by mtDNA sequences and morphology". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 39 (3): 645–56. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2006.01.002. PMID   16473529.
  5. ↑ Gill, F; D Donsker, eds. (30 June 2013). "Waxwings to swallows". IOC World Bird List: Version 3.4. International Ornithologists' Union. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  6. ↑ "IOC World Bird List 6.4". IOC World Bird List Datasets. doi: 10.14344/ioc.ml.6.4 .
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Černý, Walter (1975). A Field Guide in Colour to Birds. Translated by Margot Schierlová. Illustrated by Karel Drchal. London: Octopus Books Limited. pp. 156–157. ISBN   070640405X.
  8. 1 2 3 Snow, David; Perrins, Christopher M., eds. (1998). The Birds of the Western Palearctic concise edition. Vol. 2. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 1037–1040. ISBN   0198501889.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Harbard, Chris (1989). Songbirds: How to attract them and identify their song. London: Kingfisher Books. p. 52. ISBN   0862724597.
  10. ↑ Burnie, David (2001). Animal: The Definitive Visual Guide to the World's Wildlife. London: Dorling Kindersley. p. 342. ISBN   9780789477644.
  11. ↑ "Thousands flock to see rare bird". BBC News. 2 May 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  12. 1 2 3 Hayman, Peter; Hume, Rob (October 2001). The complete guide to the bird life of Britain and Europe. Bounty Books. p. 185. ISBN   9781857327953.
  13. ↑ "European news". British Birds. 88. British Birds Ltd.: 274 June 1995. ISSN   0007-0335.
  14. 1 2 Hayman, Peter; Burton, Philip (1979). "Crested Lark". The Birdlife of Britain (2nd ed.). London: Mitchell Beazley Publishers Limited. p. 80. ISBN   0855330872.
  15. ↑ Robinson, R.A. (16 January 2013). "Crested Lark Galerida cristata". BirdFacts. British Trust for Ornithology. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  16. ↑ Armstrong, Edward A. (1973). Saint Francis, Nature Mystic: The Derivation and Significance of the Nature Stories in the Franciscan Legend. Berkeley and Los Angeles, California: University of California Press. pp. 90–91. ISBN   0520019660.
  17. 1 2 "Species factsheet: Galerida cristata". BirdLife International. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
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