The Skylark (Alauda arvensis) is a small brown bird and is a member of the Lark family. It is a streaky brown colour with a small crest, the tail is white-sided and the wings also have a rear white edge that is visible in flight.
They are renowned for their display flight, vertically up in the air.
Farmland, heathland, wetlands, marsh and wildflower meadows are natural habitats for the Skylark, it enjoys the open countryside and can be found throughout the UK.
When spotted, they can be seen effortlessly hovering and singing from a great height before seemingly parachuting back down to earth.
They have a beautiful song that radiates through the air, it's fast, complex and variable. It is delivered within a narrow frequency range and can last anything up to five minutes. The Skylark is the voice of spring, and one of the first to be heard during the dawn chorus. It can also be heard throughout the year but less frequently between mid-November to late January.
The Skylark feeds mainly on seed and grain, but it also eats flies, spiders, larvae of various groups and invertebrates such as beetles.
Over the last few decades, the Skylark has declined in numbers and features on the "Red List" as it's a species of high conservation concern. Its decline is most likely a result of modern farming practices. This has now become an all too common tale and birds continue to struggle throughout the country and venture into our gardens in search of food and shelter.
According to the BTO, the Skylark’s decline led to widespread conservation concern and then to policy measures to allow recovery. They are encouraging farmers to improve habitat quality for species including the Skylark. Leaving stubbles unsprayed over winter – so enhancing weed seed availability, providing fallow land in spring for nesting and creating bare patches in crops to allow access for breeding birds are all supported by government funding.
They may not be a regular visitor to our gardens, but with our help, we could encourage them to come by providing fresh water and maybe a seed mix such as Haith's Original Wild Bird Food. This is a mix that contains high-energy sunflowers and wholegrain cereal for slow release energy. It is an affordable selection of bird seeds suitable for all year round feeding to a wide variety of garden birds and is ideal to feed on a bird table or ground feeder, and of course a tube-type seed feeder.
By helping our feathered friends you may be lucky enough to hear this delightful bird singing its beautiful song.
Written by Tina Jakes
