Bird 🐦
🐦
Alauda arvensis
| Size | 18–19 cm Slightly larger than a sparrow |
|---|---|
| Weight | 33–45 g About the weight of a small plum |
| Lifespan | 2–3 years |
| Rarity | Common |
| M vs F | Sexes look very similar — both streaky brown; males sing from high in the air for long periods |
| Habitat | Open farmland, chalk downland, heathland, coastal grassland, upland moorland |
| Best time | Year-round; song flights from February |
| Conservation | UK: Red LC |
Did you know?
A male Skylark can maintain his song flight for over an hour, hovering at heights up to 100 metres while producing continuous, complex song — one of the most sustained vocal performances in nature
A male Skylark can maintain his song flight for over an hour, hovering at heights up to 100 metres while producing continuous, complex song — one of the most sustained vocal performances in nature
More for experts
UK Skylark numbers have fallen by over 50% since the 1970s — primarily because autumn-sown crops grow too dense for nesting by spring. Leaving undrilled "Skylark plots" in fields has proved effective at reversing local declines
Often confused with
Woodlark (shorter tail, white supercilium, undulating flight), Corn Bunting (no crest, jangling song)
Woodlark (shorter tail, white supercilium, undulating flight), Corn Bunting (no crest, jangling song)