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Crested lark

Diputación de Málaga
Crested Lark

Crested lark

Common nameCrested lark
Scientific nameGalerida cristata
HabitatsCultivated areas
TypeAgrícolas
StatusResidente
Present
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Wintering Summer Resident Migration
Animal Life > Birds

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.

Where it lives

It inhabits open areas, stubble, meadows, fallows, wastelands and crops. Typical inhabitant of roadsides. Also in tree crops and wooded countryside.

How it lives

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.

Where it can be seen in Malaga

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.

Curious facts

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.

Routes where it can be observed

More information