Birds and Birding's Guide to:
Watching THE SPARROW-LIKE BIRDS
THE SONG BIRDS
THE LARKS
Skylark Description
In spring and summer, and to a limited extent at other seasons, the Skylark makes its presence known by its delightful”heart-lifting”song, which is usually uttered while the bird is soaring and circling high in the air, but also after it has alighted on the ground. The notes are protracted and cheer- Fig. 190. — Skylark, Alauda arvensis. ful, with a peculiarly liquid sound, surpassing in strength and sweetness that of all other birds with which they associate except, perhaps, the Nightingale. The Skylark is a favorite cage bird, since it endures confinement well, and sings freely and delightfully for a good part of the year. When reared from the nest, they become gentle and affectionate, acquiring the song of any birds they are associated with, but if taken when adult they often pine. So celebrated has this bird become on account of its song that many attempts have been made to introduce it into other parts of the world, but, perhaps fortunately, not always with success. In the neighborhood of Melbourne, Australia, and in New Zealand it has become firmly established, but the attempt made some fifteen years ago to naturalize it on Long Island appears not to have succeeded well, though it has been recently reported as abundant in the vicinity of Brooklyn, New York. It is, no doubt, better that this”meddling activity”with nature should fail, since if it once gained a firm foothold it might sweep over the country as its confrere, the House Sparrow, has done, though it would be found in fields and open places instead of towns and cities.
The other species, if we accept but two as many incline to do, is the Indian Skylark (^4. gulgula) of India and Ceylon. It is so exactly similar in coloration to the last that a separate description is not needed, the only essential difference being its constantly smaller size. Its habits and song are also practically indistinguishable.