Russia. Ural. Lark. (1 Viewer)

[Наташа Лукьянова]

What kind of bird is this? Alauda arvensis or Lullula arborea?

(I don`t know much English, so forgive me my mistakes)

 

[CARERY]

No mistakes detected . Welcome to birdforum!

Your bird is a Skylark Alauda arvensis. But it's a difficult picture because the bill seems very slim as it would be in Woodlark Lullula arborea...

Woodlark is a more compact bird with a really short tail, plus on range it should not occur in the Urals as I understand. But the range map ends not far West so who knows...

 

[Butty]

That's a big contrasting supercilium, and the wing pattern appears a little ambiguous.
Natasha, do you have any more photos, including some that show the head from the side or from behind?

 

[Наташа Лукьянова]

unfortunately, there are no other photos.

Larks (Family Alaudidae)

Larks from ÐолÑÑой ÐÑÑок, СвеÑдловÑÐºÐ°Ñ Ð¾Ð±Ð»., РоÑÑÐ¸Ñ on June 12, 2016 at 02:03 PM by ÐгоÑÑ. Фадеев

www.inaturalist.org

 

[Butty]

That's the trouble with iNat: no one ever gives any reasons and there's almost never any discussion.
Personally, I suspect it's a woodlark - but I wouldn't identify it from this photo alone.

 

[Andy Adcock]

That's the trouble with iNat: no one ever gives any reasons and there's almost never any discussion.
Personally, I suspect it's a woodlark - but I wouldn't identify it from this photo alone.

I was torn, leaned this way myself but with no confidence.

 

[RafaelMatias]

I agree with Roland, Skylark. As mentioned, the structure is consistent with that species. The suggestion of a Woodlark-like wing pattern seems to be the result of a trick of light: the primary coverts are not really black basally with a white tip, they're apparently just brownish as the rest of the plumage. Another helpful feature is that the supercilia apparently do not meet on the nape (which is here spotted brownish), ruling out Woodlark.

 

[THE_FERN]

The suggestion of a Woodlark-like wing pattern seems to be the result of a trick of light: the primary coverts are not really black basally with a white tip, they're apparently just brownish as the rest of the plumage. Another helpful feature is that the supercilia apparently do not meet on the nape

I agree with the first point, but I don't see the nape of the neck to be able to assess the second [and ebird an "headline" woodlark photo shows this feature can be "subtle"]. I think it's a skylark, though.