Eurasian Skylark
Credit: Kevin Lin

North American field guide

Eurasian Skylark

Alauda arvensis

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Identification

Field notes

18 cm (7") Rare. Aleutians. Introduced to Vancouver and San Juan Islands. Open country, fields.

Streaked brown bird. Told from sparrows by its thin bill. Streaked upperparts, throat and breast.

In flight; white outer tail feathers and white trailing edge on inner wing.

Song: continuous trills and warbles given in circling or hovering, also sweet liquid notes.

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos
Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 1 rule

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Eurasian Skylark

1 rule
Rule 1 16 criteria confidence 1
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?
No · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?
Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?
Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?
Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · Crest of feathers on top of the head · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?
Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Sparrow-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
What type of environment was the bird seen in?
Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Freshwater shoreline · Flat saltwater shore; beach · Only or mostly in flight over land
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Northwestern Canada or United States