Birds · Passeriformes · Alaudidae

Crested Lark

Galerida cristata

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

A lark with highly cryptic plumage, sandy brown with brown lengthwise streaks, adapted to blending in on dry farmland and steppe. Its distinguishing feature is a long, narrow, pointed crest formed of fine, almost black feathers at the back of the head. The underparts are brownish white with the throat and breast densely spotted.

Weight

42 g – 45 g

Size

16 cm – 18 cm

Lifespan

5 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Omnivore Diurnal In pairs Bird

59countries 144parks4same family

Fun facts

GeneralIts pointed crest is always up, which sets it apart from the other larks.
It is told apart from the skylark by its longer, more pointed crest; that is the most practical field criterion between the two.
It often nests on the verges of country tracks, a habit that leaves it very vulnerable to traffic and to clearance.
Linnaeus described it within the genus Alauda; it did not move to Galerida until 1821, and in 1865 there was a proposal to return it to Alauda for lack of clear diagnostic characters.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Waste ground, verges, fallow land and open lots
Gestation / incubation: About 12 days, with the female doing most of the incubating
Litter / clutch size: 3-6 pale eggs with heavy dark speckling, in a hollow on the ground lined with dry grass under the shelter of a small shrub. It may have two clutches a year and the chicks become independent a few days after hatching

Sources consulted: IUCN Red List; Catálogo Nacional de Especies Amenazadas; Sierra de Baza (ficha técnica); Wikipedia (Crested lark); Linnaeus 1758; Boie 1821