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Biology

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The skylark nests between April and August, and successful pairs may raise up to four broods in one breeding season. Three to five eggs are laid, incubated by the female for 11 days. The nest is always on the ground, and is usually very well concealed within vegetation. The young birds leave the nest when 8 - 10 days old, but remain dependant on their parents for a further 1 - 2 weeks. The male performs his song flights throughout the breeding season. In winter, skylarks move away from upland areas, but large flocks occur on lowland farmland, often in conjunction with other species such as meadow pipits. Stubble fields provide the most important winter food source but set-aside can be useful, particularly if cereal stubbles are in short supply.
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Conservation

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Despite a substantial reduction in population size, the distribution of the skylark has remained fairly constant and the species is still one of our most widespread and familiar birds. The skylark is the subject of an action plan managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), with other partners including English Nature, the British Trust for Ornithology and the Joint Nature Conservancy Council (JNCC). The objectives of the plan are to stabilise the skylark population, and maintain the present breeding numbers of around 2 million pairs. The plan aims to achieve this by encouraging more environmentally friendly methods of farming, including a reduction in the use of agrichemicals. Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is required, however, if these targets are to be met. The RSPB is currently trialling a project to encourage farmers to leave 'scrapes', or bare patches, when drilling crops in autumn, to improve the spring nesting conditions for skylarks. These 'scrapes' would be made by lifting the seed drill, so that the sward height preferred by the birds would be achieved. These potential nesting sites would be created away from the vehicle access 'tramlines' and the edge of the field, as these tend to be patrolled by potential ground predators.
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Description

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When the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote of the skylark 'Hail to thee, blithe spirit, bird thou never were't', he may well have had the exalted song of this species in mind. On a warm summer day, the sky can seem full of birdsong as the skylark seems to hang suspended somewhere overhead. This territorial display can last for as long as five minutes as the bird reaches the zenith of its flight and then slowly descends. The sexes are alike and the birds are streaky brown on the back and buff-white below with dark-brown streaking on the upper breast. The tail is brown with outer-tail feathers of white. There is a small up-turned crest on the back of the head, visible only when raised
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Habitat

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Skylarks utilise a wide range of open habitats including saltmarsh and coastal grazing land, arable farmland and rough grazing in the uplands. The majority of foraging is carried out in short vegetation and once crops reach a certain height in summer, they become less suitable for skylarks.
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Range

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The skylark's breeding range covers all of Europe and the temperate zone of Asia as far east as Japan and the Kamchatka peninsular. Breeding birds are mainly resident in the UK, although numbers are swelled in winter by visitors from the continent. Although breeding skylarks have declined by more than 50% over the last 25 years, the bird is still widespread in the UK, in both the uplands and lowlands.
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Status

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Protected under the Wildlife and CountrysideAct (1981), as amended and the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985. Listed under the EC Birds Directive
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Threats

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The move to more intensive farming methods is thought to be the main cause of the decline in the skylark. The chief reason is the move from spring to autumn sown crops because, in spring, these crops quickly become too tall and dense for skylarks. Crops sown in spring are still short and thin enough to provide suitable nesting and foraging habitat. Autumn sowing has led to a decline in stubble fields available during the winter months and so reduced the availability of grain and weed seeds. Increasing use of agri-chemicals has reduced the invertebrate populations on which the birds depend for food in the breeding season.
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Alauda

provided by wikipedia EN

Alauda is a genus of larks found across much of Europe, Asia and in the mountains of north Africa, and one of the species (the Raso lark) endemic to the islet of Raso in the Cape Verde Islands.[1] 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.[2]

Taxonomy and systematics

The genus Alauda was introduced by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae.[3] The type species was subsequently designated as the Eurasian skylark.[4]

The genus Alauda has four extant and at least two extinct species. Formerly, many other species have also been considered to belong to the genus.

Extant species

The genus contains four species:[1]

Extinct species

  • Alauda xerarvensis (late Pliocene of Varshets, Bulgaria)[5]
  • Alauda tivadari (late Miocene of Polgardi, Hungary)[6]

Former species

Previously, some authorities also classified the following species (or subspecies) as species within the genus Alauda:

References

  1. ^ a b Gill, Frank; Donsker, David, eds. (2018). "Nicators, reedling, larks". World Bird List Version 8.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  2. ^ Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 37. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
  3. ^ Linnaeus, Carl (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin). Vol. 1 (10th ed.). Holmiae:Laurentii Salvii. p. 165.
  4. ^ Mayr, Ernst; Greenway, James C. Jr, eds. (1960). Check-list of Birds of the World. Vol. 9. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 65.
  5. ^ Boev, Z. 2012. Neogene Larks (Aves: Alaudidae (Vigors, 1825)) from Bulgaria - Acta zoologica bulgarica, 64 (3), 2012: 295-318.
  6. ^ Kessler, E. 2013. Neogene songbirds (Aves, Passeriformes) from Hungary. – Hantkeniana, Budapest, 2013, 8: 37-149.
  7. ^ "Alaemon alaudipes desertorum - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
  8. ^ "Ammomanopsis grayi - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
  9. ^ "Certhilauda chuana - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-17.
  10. ^ "Certhilauda curvirostris - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-18.
  11. ^ "Pinarocorys nigricans - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-17.
  12. ^ "Pinarocorys erythropygia - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-11.
  13. ^ "Ammomanes deserti - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-18.
  14. ^ "Ammomanes deserti isabellina - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
  15. ^ "Ammomanes cinctura arenicolor - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-17.
  16. ^ "Eremopterix leucotis melanocephalus - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-17.
  17. ^ "Eremopterix griseus - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-18.
  18. ^ "Calendulauda sabota plebeja - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-17.
  19. ^ "Calendulauda naevia - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-17.
  20. ^ "Calendulauda poecilosterna - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-17.
  21. ^ "Calendulauda albescens - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-18.
  22. ^ "Calendulauda albescens codea - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
  23. ^ "Calendulauda albescens guttata - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
  24. ^ "Calendulauda erythrochlamys - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  25. ^ "Mirafra fasciolata - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-22.
  26. ^ "Mirafra apiata - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-17.
  27. ^ "Lullula arborea - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-30.
  28. ^ "Spizocorys fringillaris - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  29. ^ "Spizocorys conirostris - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  30. ^ "Galerida deva - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
  31. ^ "Galerida magnirostris - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  32. ^ "Galerida cristata - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-08.
  33. ^ "Galerida cristata senegallensis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
  34. ^ "Galerida cristata leautungensis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
  35. ^ "Galerida cristata chendoola - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
  36. ^ "Galerida malabarica - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-08.
  37. ^ "Eremophila alpestris - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
  38. ^ "Eremophila alpestris chrysolaema - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
  39. ^ "Eremophila alpestris flava - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
  40. ^ "Eremophila alpestris penicillata - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
  41. ^ "Eremophila bilopha - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-11.
  42. ^ "Calandrella dukhunensis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-12.
  43. ^ "Calandrella cinerea - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-12.
  44. ^ "Calandrella cinerea spleniata - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
  45. ^ "Calandrella brachydactyla - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-13.
  46. ^ "Calandrella brachydactyla longipennis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-17.
  47. ^ "Melanocorypha bimaculata - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-17.
  48. ^ "Melanocorypha calandra - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-15.
  49. ^ "Melanocorypha yeltoniensis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-15.
  50. ^ "Melanocorypha mongolica - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-15.
  51. ^ "Chersophilus duponti - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
  52. ^ "Alaudala rufescens - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-20.
  53. ^ "Alaudala raytal - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-20.

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Alauda: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN

Alauda is a genus of larks found across much of Europe, Asia and in the mountains of north Africa, and one of the species (the Raso lark) 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.

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