Oriental Skylark
Alauda gulgula
The Oriental Skylark (Alauda gulgula) is a uncommon lark found in 30 countries, weighing about 26 g. The Oriental skylark is a species of skylark found in the Sino-Indian region and parts of central Asia.
About the Oriental Skylark
The Oriental skylark is a species of skylark found in the Sino-Indian region and parts of central Asia. Like other skylarks, it is found in open grassland where it feeds on seeds and insects.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
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.
What the Oriental Skylark sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Türkiye, Palestinian Territories, Turkmenistan, Germany.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in March. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify an Oriental Skylark?
- Oriental skylarks range from 15.5–18 cm (6.1–7.1 in) long and 24–30 g (0.85–1.06 oz) weight. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is an Oriental Skylark?
- The Oriental Skylark is a small sized bird weighing about 26 g.
- Where can you see an Oriental Skylark?
- The Oriental Skylark occurs in 30 countries, including Taiwan, India, China, Thailand and Sri Lanka.
- What does an Oriental Skylark sound like?
- You can listen to 2 field recordings of the Oriental Skylark on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to an Oriental Skylark?
- The Oriental Skylark is most easily confused with the Raso Lark and the Eurasian Skylark.
- Is the Oriental Skylark endangered?
- The Oriental Skylark is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Oriental Skylark for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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