Galerida Lark ID, La Mata, Spain (1 Viewer)

[Hotspur]

Hi guys, I have been in Spain for the last couple of weeks and saw plenty of good Crested Larks and Theklas but I was wondering on peoples thought on this bad boy which seems a little intermediate to my eyes.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jjE8i_qqvAM/T4p-j0YoYAI/AAAAAAAACBU/FMEQKdrXPw8/s1600/197.jpg

The bill looks better for Thekla if a little long but the crest, face pattern & eye ring seem better for crested. The fact that it is perched up is better for Thekla but I saw plenty of Crested Larks in trees. Both occur where this was taken as habitat is pretty patchwork like. I'd stab at crested probably with a short beak and thus showing a slightly convex lower mandible (to my eyes)

 

[mäkpe]

Thekla for me based on bill.

 

[john miller]

Have not seen a Crested with a bill like that.

John

 

[Hotspur]

Have not seen a Crested with a bill like that.

John

That's what I thought at the time but the head pattern didn't look great for Thekla. Looking at the streaking on the breast I think that is pro Thekla and from the limited comments I'm happy to amend the ID more solidly to Thekla.

 

[Simon Wates]

If I'm not wrong the plant looks like a Sueda sp., which would mean a saline habitat, like saltmarsh - most saltmarshes have Cresteds, not Theklas. However there are exceptions - where was the photo taken? (There is more than one La Mata in Spain...)

The bird screams Thekla to me - mid breeding season onwards isn't the best for analysing plumage features - the rump contrast is probably the best plumage feature (most reliable) at this time - if you look for it, its not hard to see!

 

[bitterntwisted]

If I'm not wrong the plant looks like a Sueda sp., which would mean a saline habitat, like saltmarsh - most saltmarshes have Cresteds, not Theklas. However there are exceptions - where was the photo taken? (There is more than one La Mata in Spain...)

The bird screams Thekla to me - mid breeding season onwards isn't the best for analysing plumage features - the rump contrast is probably the best plumage feature (most reliable) at this time - if you look for it, its not hard to see!

La Mata, on the coast north of Torrevieja, I believe, between Alicante and Murcia. I didn't see Thekla on the coast here, only inland in the foothills Serra de Crevillent.

Nonetheless, it looks like a Thekla to me and those UTCs rule out Crested, don't they?

 

[Simon Wates]

Thanks Bitterntwisted, its a very long time since I have been to that area - nearly 30 years! I seem to remember that some of the coastal habitats were in less humanised areas with a wilder feel than much of the coast. Coastal areas like this can have both Galeridas.

UTCs as in uppers..yes they do look rather warm toned and not greyish brown toned like the mantle and much of the whole bird.

 

[Hotspur]

both Galeridas are present in number and side by side as the habitat changes abruptly. La Mata is a salina so yes a very saline habitat but with sandy areas where the cresteds proliferate. I hadnt noticed the upper tail coverts. They do rather put it to bed.