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Skylark Alauda arvensis   [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names Trends & Distribution Breeding & Survival Biometrics Books & Links
Order: Passeriformes Family: Alaudidae
BTO Codes: S. , SKYLA EURING No: 9760
Number in Britain: 1.7 million territories (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK: RED
European: 3 Concern, most not in Europe; Depleted
Global: Least Concern
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Status in UK: (A)  Resident Breeder, Passage/Winter Visitor
Subspecies: arvensis recorded in Britain (of 11 subsp. in the world)
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Length: 18 cm Wingspan: 33 cm Weight: M: 42 g   F: 35 g    
Scientific name from: L.: Alauda=lark (orig. Gaulish?) and L.: arvensis=of a field (from arvum=a field)
World Distribution: Europe, North Africa, n&c Asia, INTRODUCED: Canada, Australia, New Zealand
Habitat: Grassland, fields, tundra, sand dunes
Diet: Summer, mostly insects, otherwise cereal grain and weed seeds, also shoots
TitBit: An integral part of the British landscape, its song has inspired poets ranging from Chaucer to Blake, however, before the widespread introduction of farming it was probably quite scarce and its fortunes since have followed farming practices  
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Population and Distribution
Population Trend: Wider Countryside Report
Regional Trends: Scotland   Wales   England   English Regions
Distribution: Atlas Maps    (Help with the New Atlas)    BBS Maps
British Population Size:
    Summer: 1.7 million territories in 2000
    First Record: 8th Century [Fossil evidence from Ipswichian (last) interglacial, c. 125,000 yr ago]
    Latest Survey: Browne, S. et al. (2000) Bird Study 47:52-65
UK Biodiversity Action Plan (Lead Partner: RSPB)
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    Most frequent in: Moorland
    Also common in: Arable Farmland, Bog
    And found in: Grass/Heath, Marsh
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
    Summer: 25 to 45 million pairs   (Trend in Numbers)
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: WBD(II*), Bern(III)
Survey Results: BirdTrack
Winter Farmland Bird Survey
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Breeding and Survival
Egg Size: 23 x 17 mm Egg Weight: 3.3 g (of which 6 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 180
Clutch Size: 3 - 4 eggs 3.49 ± 0.67 (1 - 6) N = 1448
Incubation: 13 - 14 days 13.30 ± 1.82 (11 - 17) N = 1448 by the: Female
Fledging: 11 - 16 days 13.48 ± 2.65 (9 - 17) N = 2077 as: Altricial, downy
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid: 19 May (20 Apr - 6 Jul)
Number of Broods: 1-4
Trends in Breeding Productivity

Number Ringed: 829
Adult Survival: 0.513 Juvenile Survival: No data
Age at First Breeding: 1 year Typical Lifespan: 2 years
Maximum Recorded Age: 9yr0m
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Biometrics
Ring Size: B
Wing Length Adult: 110.8 ± 4.7 Range 102 - 117 mm, N =844
Juvenile: Insufficient Data.
Male: 114.2 ± 3.1 109 - 119 mm, N =179
Female: 104.0 ± 3.1 100 - 110 mm, N =89
Weight Adult: 38.56 ± 3.70 Range 32.60 - 44.80 g , N =818
Juvenile: Insufficient Data.
Male: 39.74 ± 3.63 34.40 - 46.10 g , N =163
Female: 35.49 ± 2.86 . 30.60 - 39.90 g , N =84
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
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Other Names
Sky Lark
Gaelic: Uiseag Welsh: Ehedydd
Danish: Sanglærke Dutch: Veldleeuwerik
Finnish: Kiuru (Leivonen) French: Alouette des champs
German: Feldlerche Hungarian: Mezei pacsirta
Icelandic: Sönglævirki Irish: Fuiseog
Italian: Allodola Norwegian: Sanglerke
Polish: Skowronek zwyczajny Portuguese: Laverca
Spanish: Alondra común Swedish: Sånglärka
Local Names: Laverock
Collective Noun: Exaltation
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For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
   Donald, P. & Vickery J. (eds) 2001 The ecology and conservation of skylarks RSPB, Sandy [598.851 DON]
   Donald, P. 2004 The Skylark Poyser, London [598.851 DON]
See Also:
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
Wikipedia entry
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead
BOU Register of Avian Theses entry
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides.com
Selected scientific papers published 1980-2005
Find more papers on Google Scholar
Find more papers on Scirus

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BirdWeb logo, click to go to BirdWeb BirdFacts home | BTO Home
Email: birdfacts@bto.org

These data should be cited as:
Robinson, R.A. (2005) BirdFacts: profiles of birds occurring in Britain & Ireland (v1.22, Oct 2008). BTO Research Report 407, BTO, Thetford (http://www.bto.org/birdfacts)

 

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