Woodlark
The woodlark (Lullula arborea, Linnaeus, 1758) is a bird of the family Alaudidae. It can be 15cm long with a wingspan of 27-30 cm. The beak is thin, reddish-brown cheek and distinctive white superciliar meeting on the nape. It has a short tail and short broad wings edged with white.
This is a migratory species and the estimated population in Italy is around 20.000 – 40.000 couples. It is mainly a ground-bird which feeds on insects caught in the barren ground. Even the nest is built on the ground, hidden by small clump of grass. The nesting period is very long, lasting from March to the end of August. The brood is made of 3 to 6 whitish eggs. It can make from 1 to 2 brood per year.
It lives inopen heath with some trees, and other open woodlands, especially those with pines and light soil.
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Notes
AA.VV. - Rassegna completa degli uccelli d'Europa, Rizzoli, Milano 1972