Algarve Lark (1 Viewer)

[ndsutcliffe]

Taken a couple of days ago. Bill looks too short for Crested, and lower mandible not convex like Thekla, so is this a Skylark?

 

[lou salomon]

Crested Lark. bill length is somewhat variable, concave lower mandible not. note tertials covering most of the primaries.

 

[jogresh]

Whereabouts on the Algarve?.. 🤔

 

[ndsutcliffe]

Whereabouts on the Algarve?.. 🤔

Cape St Vincent, near the lighthouse

 

[KC Foggin]

I have no idea but it sure is a beautiful Larrk!

 

[jogresh]

Oof Crested Lark would be an absolute mega out there!

 

[Butty]

Oof Crested Lark would be an absolute mega out there!

Could you explain?

 

[Mike Crawley]

Oof Crested Lark would be an absolute mega out there!

I thought Crested Lark bred in Portugal

 

[ndsutcliffe]

I thought Crested Lark bred in Portugal

They do but in that area Thekla is most common. Crested are around but much more scarce

 

[Butty]

But . . .

an absolute mega

?
Especially if it's

Oof

?

 

[ndsutcliffe]

But . . .

?
Especially if it's

?

Sorry does oof mean something?

 

[jogresh]

They do but in that area Thekla is most common. Crested are around but much more scarce

There's no Crested on the Sagres peninsula (which includes Cape St Vincent). There's probably been the odd record over the years, but i've done about 60 days of bird surveys in that area with teams of 8 -10 mostly Portuguese guys, inc locals, and i never heard of a record of one in that time. It's been discussed a few times on BF, a search of Thekla + Sagres may lead to some discussions on here. Hope that helps.

 

[Grahame Walbridge]

There's no Crested on the Sagres peninsula (which includes Cape St Vincent). There's probably been the odd record over the years, but i've done about 60 days of bird surveys in that area with teams of 8 -10 mostly Portuguese guys, inc locals, and i never heard of a record of one in that time. It's been discussed a few times on BF, a search of Thekla + Sagres may lead to some discussions on here. Hope that helps.

P1 is longer (c2mm?) than PC which is favouring Thekla, in the vast majority of Crested's P1<PC.

Grahame

 

[Barred Wobbler]

I hadn't realised that Crested Larks weren't generally to be found there. I took these photos of a bird at Cape St Vincent in November 2009 and had it down as a crested. Any comments would be welcome,

These are the only photos I managed before it vanished.

 

[Grahame Walbridge]

I hadn't realised that Crested Larks weren't generally to be found there. I took these photos of a bird at Cape St Vincent in November 2009 and had it down as a crested. Any comments would be welcome,

These are the only photos I managed before it vanished.

Thekla, long P1 and P6 clearly visible.

Grahame

 

[ndsutcliffe]

Thekla, long P1 and P6 clearly visible.

Grahame

Thanks Grahame and Jogresh. I'll go with Thekla. Is the convex lower mandible not reliable for ID?

 

[Grahame Walbridge]

Thanks Grahame and Jogresh. I'll go with Thekla. Is the convex lower mandible not reliable for ID?

According to Shirihai & Svensson there is some overlap in bill shape and one should always base ID on a full suite of characters. In your 1st image, the bird is turning its head slightly making it more difficult to assess bill shape, a side-on shot would preferable. Your bird does seem rather compact and short-tailed in appearance which favours Thekla. A pity there are no clear views of the upper tail and underwing covers, but the length of P1 is unequivocal, I would suggest its towards the upper limit for Thekla.

Grahame

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Thekla, long P1 and P6 clearly visible.

Grahame

Thanks Grahame