The Crested Lark is a vocal bird that can copy the voices of other birds. In our area she is known quite well. There were even times when she was affectionately called a "neighbor", and all because she loved to live next to people. So, let's talk about what we know about our feathery friend.
General view information
The Crested Lark belongs to the order Sparrow, Lark family . To date, there are about 5 subspecies of these birds. Divide them according to their natural habitat. For example, there is a Ukrainian, Central Asian, North Iranian lark and so on.
However, geographical boundaries have almost no effect on the appearance of birds. Therefore, the description below is suitable for all representatives of this species. The same rule applies to the habits of the crested lark. Photos of the bird are also presented in the review.
Area
This representative of the lark lives in the southern boreal zone. Its nests can be found starting from the south-west of Europe 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. Moreover, the population of African larks is almost inferior in number to European and Asian brothers.
Appearance
It is a medium sized bird. The Crested Lark rarely grows more than 18 cm in height, and its weight on average ranges from 40-50 grams. A small crest is located on the head, due to which the bird got its name. The beak of the lark is no less catchy: it is slightly bent down and strongly protrudes beyond the contours of the head.
Giant in relation to the body seem wings. So, one wing can reach 10 cm in length. Due to this, the illusion arises that the bird hovering in the sky is much larger than it actually is. Her paws are very muscular, as this species often makes long walks in search of food.
Most larks are painted in dark brown plumage. It should be noted that the brisket and neck of the bird have lighter colors. Such an inconspicuous color is vital for the crested lark, as it helps to hide in the grass from the ubiquitous predators.
Behavior features
Crested Larks live in small groups. Often they consist of two adult birds and their descendants. That is, on average in their pack there are no more than 4-7 individuals. However, if there is a constant source of food in the district, then larks can unite in a much larger community.
You need to understand that this is a very picky bird. She feels equally well both in the neighborhood with people, and among the god of a forgotten desert. Nevertheless, most crested larks prefer to nest in meadows or in the steppe. This is due to the fact that 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 a threat from 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 fear such an unusual company. Secondly, if there is a barn or a pigsty on the farm, the bird will most likely settle next to it. Moreover, this behavior is associated not only with the fact that the feathered gets open access to food, but also with the fact that it uses the heat of animals, so as not to freeze in winter.
What does the crested lark eat?
The diet of the crested lark is very diverse. It can eat both plant foods and prey on small insects. At the same time, the bird prefers to search for its prey on the ground, and not in the air. Crossing from place to place, she carefully explores the earth, trying to find something edible.
For example, on ordinary sunny days, the lark seeks out bugs and ants. The long beak is ideal for pulling insects from their shelters. And its curved shape allows you to easily crack even the most durable chitinous shell. However, the crested lark loves wet weather most of all, because on such days he can enjoy the earthworms.
As for plant food, this bird eats almost all types of cereals that it can find. In addition, with the advent of winter, the lark goes purely on vegetarian food. He seeks out areas with a minimum cover of snow, and begins to dig up roots and frozen berries.
Tufted Lark: singing as a way to survive
The voice of the early bird is his calling card. Thanks to him, a bird is recognized even in those cases when it is not visible. By its melody, the voice of the crested lark is second only to the nightingale. In addition, this bird is able to whistle not only its own motives, but also skillfully imitates the language of other birds.
However, more importantly, the bird’s voice is its main weapon. Few people know, but at the moment of danger the lark emits a piercing scream that disorientates the enemy. This tactic allows you to buy time to escape or an unexpected counterattack. True, such a sound attack is triggered only once, and therefore an experienced predator skillfully confronts it.
Courtship games
Another important purpose of the lark's voice is the call for mating. With the arrival of the first spring heat, the birds begin to look for a soul mate. At the same time, old couples quite often reunite, as they live next to each other. As for the young, each male has to prove to the female his superiority over competitors.
Song battles take place on earth. Their essence is that the males surround the female and begin to "dance" around her: they spread their wings, shake their tail and stretch their necks forward. All this action is accompanied by continuous love serenades. The winner in this gentlemanly match is the one who lasts the longest near the lady or the one to whom she herself will give her preference.
Breeding
In the crested lark families, all the hard work falls on the shoulders of women. After all, it is they who have to build a nest for posterity and look after it. In this case, the house itself is erected 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 leads two offspring per year. For the first time, the female hatches 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 completely the mother's care. She feeds them at least three times a day. In this case, the chicks eat only animal food, akin to beetles and worms. On the 9th day after the birth, the kids quietly leave the nest and independently seek prey on the ground. And after 3 weeks, they become completely independent and leave their parents.
Natural enemies
There are many animals who are only thinking about how to catch a crested lark. The most dangerous enemies include cats, snakes, mongooses, larger birds and a couple of species of spiders. However, even by combining all their efforts, 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 in the list of endangered species, its number is 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 the 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, the lawn grass, so familiar to our parks and squares, is completely unsuitable for food. And thirdly, today only a few keep livestock, which, again, limits birds to potential habitats.
Fortunately, such a flagrant situation applies only to Europe. In other countries, there are still many places where the crested lark still lives in abundance: in Central Asia and Africa, the number of birds is within normal limits. With this in mind , naturalists will rely on the fact that in the future this species of birds will still be able to recover and return to its former population.