Bird of small to medium size (about 18 cm or 7 in), stubby and with a crest on the head. Plumage of brown tones, striated and striped with darker tones. Elongated bill and short tail. In flight it shows wide wings.
Cultivated areas
It inhabits open areas, stubble, meadows, fallows, wastelands and crops. Typical inhabitant of roadsides. Also in tree crops and wooded countryside.
Terrestrial bird and resident all year round in the province. It breeds from March making two to three annual layings of 3 to 7 eggs. Nest on the ground. The Crested Lark feeds on seeds, cereal grains, tender herb tips and small soil insects.
Very common and frequent bird in Malaga. In the Great Path it is especially easy to watch in the stages with open environment and crops, such as 2, 3, 8, 11, 13, 17, 18 and 26.
It is one of the most familiar and characteristic birds of the Malaga countryside, popularly known in the province as "cuajás" or "cucujás". Its density is used as an indicator of habitat quality, for example in pastures, steppes, agroecosystems and open environments that house industrial facilities or infrastructure impacts.
- Campillos – Sierra de Yeguas
- Genal and Guadiaro rivers junction
- Genil River banks
- GR 249. Stage 09: Periana - Alfarnatejo (Pulgarín Alto)
- GR 249. Stage 02: Rincón de la Victoria - Vélez-Málaga
- GR 249. Stage 03: Vélez-Málaga - Torrox
- GR 249. Stage 04: Torrox - Nerja
- GR 249. Stage 05: Nerja - Frigiliana
- GR 249. Stage 07: Cómpeta - Canillas de Aceituno
- GR 249. Stage 08: Canillas de Aceituno - Periana
- GR 249. Stage 10: Alfarnatejo (Pulgarín Alto) - Alfarnate
- GR 249. Stage 11: Alfarnate - Villanueva del Rosario
- GR 249. Stage 12: Villanueva del Rosario - Archidona
- GR 249. Stage 13: Archidona - Villanueva de Tapia
- GR 249. Stage 14: Villanueva de Tapia - Villanueva de Algaidas
- GR 249. Stage 15: Villanueva de Algaidas - Cuevas Bajas
- GR 249. Stage 16: Cuevas Bajas - Alameda
- GR 249. Stage 18: Fuente de Piedra - Campillos
- GR 249. Stage 19: Campillos - Embalses del Guadalhorce
- GR 249. Stage 20: Embalses del Guadalhorce - Estación de El Chorro
- GR 249. Stage 22: Ardales - El Burgo
- GR 249. Stage 23: El Burgo - Ronda
- GR 249. Stage 24: Ronda - Estación de Benaoján
- GR 249. Stage 25: Estación de Benaoján - Jimera de Líbar
- GR 249. Stage 26: Jimera de Líbar - Benalauría
- GR 249. Stage 29: Casares - Estepona
- GR 249. Stage 30: Estepona - Marbella
- GR 249. Stage 31: Marbella - Ojén
- GR 249. Stage 32: Ojén - Mijas
- GR 249. Stage 33: Mijas - Benalmádena
- GR 249. Stage 34: Benalmádena - Alhaurín de la Torre
- GR 249. Stage 35: Alhaurín de la Torre - Málaga
- Laguna de Fuente de Piedra Nature Reserve
- Lagunas de Campillos
- Los Llanos de Antequera – Cartaojal – La Sarteneja
- Mouth of the Guadalhorce Nature Reserve
- Sierra de Mollina y Laguna de la Ratosa
- Sierra del Padrastro
- The Mouth of Rio Velez
- Valley of the Guadalhorce River
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