Skylark

18 cm, 38 g. Dull yellow-buff bird, streaked and spotted brown on upperparts and breast. Adult has a small crest, raised when alert. Juvenile yellower and spottier, and lacks crest. In flight, whiteouter tailfeathers and white trailing edge to broad wings. Male in territorial flight display (Aug-Jan) soars with whirring wings up to 100 m, and slowly descends, all the time singing a sustained and vigorous torrent of varied trills and runs. Call, usually in flight, a liquid ''chirrup''. Habitat: Open country, from coast to subalpine. Breeding: Sep-Feb.