Lark (Central Spain) (1 Viewer)

Hello again. I have doubts with this new picture of a lark. I took it in Guadalajara (Central Spain) during March 2018. I would say it's Galerida theklae, but I am not sure.

I include a link with the rest of photos I took: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1nKPaLe39OKgiznlsLxhwB15z31KnQV5o

To my eye looks more Crested than Thekla. Pointed spikey crest, although bill is open it looks perhaps longer and slender than what you might expect with Thekla, also the streaking to the lower chest looks more diffuse.

Cheers

Yes, that's exactly my problem |8(| . IMO, the crest looks crested's, but the beak looks Thekla's.

I have included a link at the top with all the pictures I took of this bird.

Up!

Identifying Thekla's/Crested is never easy and some birds can be better left unidentified. To my eye, the bill, which I always find the most reliable feature, looks better for Thekla particularly in the shot posted here (other shots are blurred which makes its precise shape harder to discern). I also feel that the streaking on the chest (bold & distinct) and general colouration (dull & more greyish) looks better for Thekla's. However, the crest does tend to look more like Crested. That said I wouldn't like to rule out Thekla on that basis alone as factors like the wind (and the bending grass suggests it may have been breezy) can give a false impression. Further, looking at Shirihai it doesn't look incompatible with Thekla's.

Thank you both for your answers!