Peatland wildlife
|
Skylark (Alauda
arvensis)
|
|
|
Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
Description
The skylark is classic bird of open farmland, bogs, upland
grass and Heather moors. It has heavily streaked pale-brown
upperparts, a buff breast and white belly. Its tail and wing
feathers have white trailing edges. Their short crest is usually
only visible when the bird is alarmed. The rear claw is unusually
long and is believed to be an adaptation for walking over grassy
vegetation. Both sexes and juveniles are alike.
Behaviour
The skylark spends most of its time on the ground foraging
for seeds, shoots, grain and insects. Flight appears weak and
fluttering over short distances but is strong and more undulating
over longer distances, always hovering briefly before landing.
When singing, the male will spiral upwards to over 60 metres
and can sometimes be out of sight. The continuous melodic song
may last for several minutes before the male descends rapidly
to the same spot from where he began.
Breeding
Skylarks are monogamous and a pair will often remain together
for life. They build their nests on the ground in shallow depressions
in late March or early May, and line them with grasses. The
female lays between three and five heavily mottled eggs, which
both male and female incubate for 11 days. The chicks leave
the nest after about 8 days and remain hidden in the surrounding
vegetation, only returning to the nest at night. They are not
able to fly properly until they are around 3 weeks old. In a
good year skylarks can raise 2 or 3 broods.
Status
Local
This once common bird is declining throughout Northern Ireland.
It is estimated that three-quarters of the breeding population
has been lost due to intensive agriculture.
In Northern Ireland the
Wildlife Order states that it is an offence to kill, injure,
capture or keep (alive or dead) any wild bird, including the
skylark. It is also an offence to destroy, damage or take the
nest of any wild bird or to sell or advertise for sale the eggs
of any wild bird.
The skylark is a Northern Ireland Priority Species for conservation
because of the recent decline in it's population and distribution.
