Photo: Imran Shah from Islamabad, Pakistan / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Oriental Skylark
Alauda gulgula
Oriental Skylark (Alauda gulgula) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 5 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Oriental Skylark (Alauda gulgula) is a member of the Alaudidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 26.3 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Alaudidae Larks
- Genus Alauda
- Species gulgula
Quick facts
- Weight
- 26.3 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Alaudidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Oriental Skylark is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Oriental Skylark is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Oriental Skylark (Alauda gulgula) is a member of the Alaudidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, OR widespread, also c Asia.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 26.3 g, with a wing length of about 8.6 cm and a tail of around 5.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 11.9 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Oriental Skylark?
The Oriental Skylark is a small bird that weighs around 26.3 g.
Where does the Oriental Skylark live?
The Oriental Skylark is found across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering PAL, OR widespread, also c Asia, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Oriental Skylark belong to?
The Oriental Skylark (Alauda gulgula) belongs to the Alaudidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Oriental Skylark eat?
The Oriental Skylark is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Oriental Skylark migrate?
The Oriental Skylark is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Oriental Skylark endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Oriental Skylark make?
1 real field recording of the Oriental Skylark — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Oriental Skylark's range?
The Oriental Skylark has a mapped global range of about 11.9 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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