Bird Guide

Eurasian Skylark vs Oriental Skylark

Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis)

Eurasian Skylark

Alauda arvensis

Small37 gGrassland

The Eurasian skylark is 18–19 cm (7.1–7.5 in) in length. Like most other larks, the Eurasian skylark is a rather dull-looking species, being mainly brown above and paler below. It has a short blunt crest on the head, which can be raised and lowered. In flight it shows a short tail and short broad wings. The tail and the rear edge of the wings are edged with white, which are visible when the bird is flying away, but not if it is heading towards the observer. The male has broader wings than the female.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Noé Ferrari · CC BY 4.0
Photo: (c) Ani Sarkisyan, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ani Sarkisyan · cc-by
Oriental Skylark (Alauda gulgula)

Oriental Skylark

Alauda gulgula

Small26 gGrassland

Oriental skylarks range from 15.5–18 cm (6.1–7.1 in) long and 24–30 g (0.85–1.06 oz) weight. They have streaked, yellow-brown upper plumage, with white outer tail feathers and a short crest. Both sexes are similar. The subspecies vary subtly in size, bill length, and plumage tone, with A. g. inopinata being the largest and palest. A. g. coelivox has a longer bill, and A. g. wattersi is more heavily streaked above. The Oriental skylark differs from the Eurasian skylark in being smaller, with a longer, more pointed bill, and a shorter tail and wings.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Mike Prince · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: 愛自然-臺灣 Cheng-Tao Lin · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Eurasian Skylark and Oriental Skylark.