The crested lark is a vociferous bird that can copy the voices of other birds. She is well known in our area. There were even times when she was affectionately called "neighbor", and all because she liked to settle next to people. So let's talk about what we know about our feathered friend.
General information about the species
The crested lark belongs to the Passerine order, the Lark family. To date, there are about 5 subspecies of these birds. They are divided according to their natural habitat. For example, there is a Ukrainian, Central Asian, North Iranian lark and so on.
However, geographic boundaries have almost no effect on the appearance of birds. Therefore, the following description is suitable for all representatives of this species. The same rule applies to those habits that the crested lark adheres to. Photos of the bird are also presented in the review.
Area
This representative of the larks lives in the southern boreal zone. Its nests can be found starting from the SouthwestEurope and ending with the coast of the Yellow Sea. In particular, large populations of these birds live in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Estonia and the Caucasus. If we talk about Central Asia, then the crested lark is found in China, Korea, India and Nepal.
It should be mentioned that two subspecies of these birds live in Africa. Here their range runs along the border of the White Nile, the Sahara and Sierra Leone. At the same time, the population of African larks is practically in no way inferior in number to European and Asian brothers.
Appearance
This is a medium sized bird. The crested lark rarely grows more than 18 cm in height, and its average weight ranges from 40-50 grams. There is a small crest on the head, thanks to which the bird got its name. No less catchy is the beak of the lark: it is slightly bent down and strongly protrudes beyond the contours of the head.
Wings seem gigantic in relation to the body. So, one wing can reach 10 cm in length. Thanks to this, the illusion arises that a bird soaring in the sky is much larger than it actually is. Its legs are very muscular, as this species often makes long walks in search of food.
Most larks have dark brown plumage. It should be noted that the brisket and neck of the bird have lighter tones. Such an inconspicuous color is vital for the crested lark, as it helps to hide in the grass from the ubiquitous predators.
Features of behavior
Crested larks live in small groups. They often consist of two adult birds and their offspring. That is, on average, there are no more than 4-7 individuals in their flock. However, if there is a constant source of food in the area, then larks can form a much larger community.
You need to understand that this is a very picky bird. She feels equally good both in the neighborhood with people and among the godforsaken desert. And yet, most crested larks prefer to nest in meadows or in the steppe. This is because such an environment is optimal for them.
It is also important to remember that the crested lark is a settled bird. Their flocks do not fly south with the advent of winter. In addition, they are very sentimental in relation to their territory. Birds rarely leave their familiar lands. Only a lack of food or the threat of predators can make them start looking for a new home.
In symbiosis with humans, the lark acquires a number of very unusual habits. Firstly, he ceases to be afraid of such an unusual company. Secondly, if the farm has a cowshed or a pigsty, then the bird will most likely settle next to it. Moreover, this behavior is due not only to the fact that the feathered one gets open access to food, but also to the fact that he uses the heat of animals so as not to freeze in winter.
What does the crested lark eat?
The crested lark's diet is very varied. It can eat both plant foods and prey on smallinsects. At the same time, the bird prefers to look for its prey on the ground, and not in the air. Running from place to place, she carefully examines the ground, trying to find something to eat.
For example, on ordinary sunny days, a lark looks for bugs and ants. The long beak is ideal for pulling insects out of their hiding places. And its curved shape makes it easy to split even the most durable chitinous shell. However, the crested lark loves wet weather most of all, because on such days it can feast on earthworms.
As for plant food, this bird eats almost every kind of cereal it can find. In addition, with the advent of winter, the lark switches to purely vegetarian food. He looks for areas with minimal snow cover and starts digging up roots and frozen berries.
Crested lark: singing as a way to survive
The voice of the lark is his calling card. Thanks to him, the bird is recognized even in cases where it is not visible. In its melody, the voice of the crested lark is second only to the nightingale. In addition, this bird can whistle not only its own motives, but also skillfully imitates the language of other birds.
More importantly, though, the bird's voice is its main weapon. Few know, but at the moment of danger, the lark emits a piercing cry that disorients the enemy. This tactic allows you to buy time for an escape or a surprise counteroffensive. True, such a sound attack only works once, and thereforean experienced predator skillfully confronts her.
Mating games
Another important purpose of the lark's voice is to call for mating. With the arrival of the first spring warmth, the birds begin to look for a soul mate. At the same time, old couples will often reunite, as they live next to each other. As for the young, each male has to prove to the female his superiority over his competitors.
Singing battles take place on the ground. Their essence lies in the fact that males surround the female and begin to “dance” around her: they spread their wings, shake their tails and stretch their necks forward. All this action is accompanied by continuous love serenades. The winner in this gentleman's duel is the one who lasts the longest near the lady or the one to whom she herself will give her preference.
Reproduction
In the crested lark family, all the hard work falls on the shoulders of the women. After all, it is they who have to build a nest for offspring and take care of it. At the same time, the house itself is built on the ground, and not on a tree. For these purposes, they use any material at hand: grass, dry branches, cobwebs, and so on.
It is also curious that the crested lark produces two offspring per year. The first time the female incubates up to six chicks, the second - up to three or four. If, for some reason, the clutch is destroyed, soon the bird will again lay several eggs. The chicks themselves are born after 10-14 days.
Caring for the young is entirely the mother's responsibility. She feeds themat least three times a day. At the same time, the chicks eat only animal food, akin to beetles and worms. On the 9th day after birth, the babies already calmly leave the nest and independently look for prey on the ground. And after 3 weeks, they become completely independent and leave their parents.
Natural Enemies
There are many animals who only think about how to catch a crested lark. The most dangerous enemies include cats, snakes, mongooses, larger birds and a couple of types of spiders. However, even with all their efforts combined, they will not be able to affect the population of crested larks as much as a person.
Bird and man
Although the crested lark is not on the list of endangered species, its numbers are rapidly falling every year. This is especially true of the South of Europe. The reason for this is the expansion of human possessions. And if in the old days, larks were able to find a common language with people, now they can’t do it.
And all because, firstly, due to the use of herbicides and pesticides, birds cannot eat agricultural plants. Secondly, lawn grass, so familiar to our parks and squares, is completely unsuitable as food. And thirdly, today only a few keep livestock, which, again, limits the birds in potential habitats.
Fortunately, this egregious situation concerns only Europe. In other countries, there are still plenty of places where the crested lark still lives in abundance: in Central Asia and Africa, the number of birds iswithin the normal range. Given this, naturalists hope that in the future this species of birds will still be able to recover and return to its former population.
