Occurrence
Living in the Eurasia to Eastern Siberia and from Japan and North Africa, Lark is also referred to as Horned Lark. This medium size bird makes the sedentary populations of the West and migrates further to South in winter, typically several hundred kilometers where they can find a milder and optimum climate for their habitat. Flights from February to May and from September to November are observed by various ornithologists. During winter in the pool Mediterranean or in Western Europe, in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, scientists have distinguished 12 subspecies. Larks are more eloquent and have more calls / songs than most of the singing birds. Singing qualities of Larks have found place in music and literature.
This extravaganza of voice helps larks to attract partners and defend their territories from other larks.
Ornithologists estimate that the densest areas of the occurrence of this bird into 8 breeding pairs involve 10 hectares of open fields. Spring migration is visible and apparent. The birds, in flocks, can be seen by many passers-by passing through the country. The birds are grouped into large and can numbered up to several dozens.
In February, when few birds are heard, or seen from time to time passing, the Singing Lark can be heard in the midst of fields). The migration flight of lark ends in early May.
Characteristic
Exterior
Slim silhouette
Both sexes are equally colored. They do not differ much among themselves except that females are somewhat smaller. On the head a short, barely visible tip of feathers is formed on top of the head (more prominent in lark and occurs in boron). It is noted clearly in the feathers. The plumage is intense, darker gray-brown, lighter underneath and makes for a perfect color masking. Eyebrows frame the cheeks and are a slightly lighter shade than the rest of the body. Bottom is hatched brown on the breast, following a uniform pattern without the hatch. Wings are triangular, and have a clear ending. In flight, a white rear edge of the wing and the extreme rectrices or flight feather are clearly visible. It is good to see them at close range while picking up a bird to fly. Legs are pale colored with a long back and form an almost straight claw back and fingers. It is very distinctive and easy to move along the ground. The beak is rather short but the tail is long. The largest of the lark’s size can exceed the sparrow.
Body size
Body length is approximately 17-19 cms
Wings span approximately 30-35 cms
Length of wings
Male about 105-115 mm, 95-105 mm for female lark.
Body Weight
Approximately 30-45 gms for male, and for female larks that could be approximately 25-38 gms
Voice
Short and smooth “prrit”. Lark sings mainly in the long flight to over meadows and fields, rather than while sitting on the ground. It happens in strong winds when one can listen to their songs but they tend to fly immediately due to strong wind current. Their singing is flowing, rippling, high-speed, high, vibrating and pleasant to the human ear. It may contain imitations of other bird voices as well. Most male get up silently from the ground almost vertically after gaining height of 10-20 m and begin to sing, then without stopping singing rises straight up; totter arches and spirals with rapid wing strokes while gaining a significant height (100-200 m) and hangs there at one point. After a few minutes, they slowly spread wings spirally and flight back sliding to the ground while continue singing. At a height of 10-20 m, they cease to sing, lower wings and quickly fall down, only to spread the wings and tail just before the landing.
Larks sing all day – starting before sunrise and ending after sunset. Their singing can be heard immediately after the arrival of the wintering grounds (even at the end of February), then throughout all tooting and nesting season. Only when the fog fall silent for a time like in August and September during melting season, they are less active. In May, the average duration of the song is about 2 minutes. Its main purpose is to mark territory (so that other males do not tresspass) and luring females. It is typical in birds which can be found in open areas. The more the voices, the more the power of a bird. The continuous singing require a large amount of power from a bird. The 8-minute song, a lark sings, is very difficult to perform otherwise but not an impossible task for birds like lark because of their breathing techniques.
Behavior
In the breeding season, larks map their territory. Though, larks tend to be social bird but during mating season, they retain caution and secretiveness. Usually, they travel in large, with dozen of flock up to 1000 larks. During the flight, they frequently sit on the ground to get shelter and food from the vegetation around. Rarely, they can be seen on more exposed situations like bars or wires.
The male lark sings hovering in the air while flapping its wings.