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Birds

Birds

Common name Thekla lark
Scientific name Galerida theklae
Type Forest birds
Status Resident

Mid-sized bird (approx 17 cm or 6.5 in), sturdy and with a striking and erectile crest on the head. Plumage in general of brown tones, striated and striped on the breast with darker tones. Short, tapered bill; short tail. In flight it has wide wings.

Habitats

Woodland environment

Where it lives

Species of medium and high mountain, exclusive of the Iberian Peninsula and the northwest of Africa. It prefers clear areas of forest or scrub with scattered trees, rocky terrains or farmlands with livestock. The Thekla Lark replaces the Crested Lark in altitude since the latter prefers lower and flat areas.

How it lives

Species resident in the province. It breeds  between February and June. Two annual layings of 2 to 7 eggs. Nest on the ground. It consumes seeds and small terrestrial insects that it catches in the ground, where it spends a lot of time foraging.

Where it can be seen in Malaga

In Malaga it is a very frequent species. It is abundant in the farmlands and open areas of the Serrania de Ronda and the Alta Axarquía, in the mountain ranges of El Chorro, Alcaparaín, Ortegícar or Aguas, for example. It is present in all middle and high mountain stages of the Great Path, for example in 9, 12, 23, 26 and 33.

Curious facts

In Malaga this lark appears at high altitudes, as in the Puerto de los Pilones in Sierra de las Nieves, at 1,800 meters above sea level. It reaches up to 2,200 m in Sierra Nevada. It is a species sensitive to changes in its habitat, which is also usually chosen to set up wind farms. Therefore, it is used as a bio-indicator of impact on non-rapacious bird communities in these infrastructures.

Present
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Wintering Summer Resident Migration
Audios