The Skylark is probably one of Britain's best loved birds, partly because they have such a beautiful song. They love to sing whilst in flight, sometimes their songs can go on for 5 minutes without interruption. It might sound like
When Skylarks are breeding they tend to nest in lots of different places from the beautiful countryside to mountains and moors. Skylarks are around for most of the year. They are fairly small birds and have brown colouring with bits of white. They do have a crest but it is quite difficult to see. the Skylark is singing right next you, but they are often simply flying around close by. It's this characteristic that makes the Skylark unique, it is the only British bird that will sing while ascending, hovering and descending. They sing mainly to attract mates and defend their territory. You are more likely to hear them singing between the months of January and July, their delightful tunes are less common at other times of year.
Sadly the Skylark has seen a big decline in their population, they are officially a red list species. Their population has dropped by half since the 1980's, which is very concerning as we do not want to lose such a magical little bird. Although the British birds are struggling, there is often an increase in the population of Skylarks when other birds from North East Europe stop by in the winter. Skylarks have been the inspiration for lots of different poetry, such as the poem 'To A Skylark' by William Wordsworth.
They are sometimes fairly tricky to spot whilst they are on the ground, as they can be quite discreet and their brown colouring blends with woodland. However, when they are up in the sky singing away they can be spotted more easily. Skylark's like to eat mostly insects and seeds. Although they love to sing in the air, they actually prefer to build their nests on the ground. The normally lay between 3 and 4 eggs and they make their nests from hair, grass and shrubs.