Greater short-toed lark

    Calandrella brachydactyla

Castilian: Terrera común

Catalan: Terrerola vulgar

Gallego: Calandriña

Euskera: Txoriandre arrunta

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Passeriformes

Family: Alaudidae

Migratory status: Summer resident

CONSERVATION STATUS:

On the National List of Threatened Species, it appears in the “Of Special Interest” category. In the 2004 edition of the Red Book of Spanish Birds (Libro Rojo de las Aves de España) it is listed as “Vulnerable”.

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THREATS

The disappearance of fallow land, forest boundaries and wastelands, as well as the increase in irrigation and greenhouse farming and the use of pesticides, are all drastically altering this species' habitat.

Length / size: 13-14 cm / 25-30 cm

Identification: Small, pale brown lark whose back has dark streaks and whose underparts are whitish and unstreaked; it also has spots on both sides of its neck, and crown, as well as a stripe behinds its eyes that contrasts with the light stripe on its forehead. In flight it appears light-coloured with a dark tail.

Song: It makes different prolonged trills and chirps, usually when in flight.

Diet: In spring and summer it feeds on seeds and invertebrates; during the rest of the year, it only eats seeds.

Reproduction: It begins in March, with the formation of pairs. The nest is placed in a depression in the land and is covered with leaves, branches and feathers. Only the female is responsible for incubation but both parents care for the chicks.

HABITAT

It occupies steppes, non-irrigated grain farms, fallow land, sown fields and pastureland.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: It is distributed throughout the interior and the southeastern coastal region of the peninsula, as well as the Balearic Islands.

In Castile and León: It is distributed throughout the entire community, but is absent in high mountain areas.

Movements and migrations: The populations from our latitudes winter in the Sahel. The spring migration occurs between March and June, and the autumn migration takes place between late August and early October.

POPULATION

In Spain: There is an estimated population of 2 to 2.6 million breeding pairs.

In Castile and León: