Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)

 


Photo: unknown

Greek Name: he korydalos or korudos [Latin: alauda, German: Haubenlerche].
Description:
 Conspicuous crest, relatively short tail, plumage mottled pale brown, belly whitish, underwing orange-buff; L 17 cm, wingspan 29-38 cm.
Habitat:
 Found in Middle and South Europe in open and dry terrain.

Behaviour:

 Flight undulating, with obvious flaps. Likes to take dust-baths on or off roads and on the seashore.

Ancient Associations:

Cooked lark was supposed to help against indigestion (Diosc. 2.54; Plin. NH. 30.62).
Sources:

B. Bruun/ H. Delin/L. Svenson, Der Kosmos Vogelführer: Die Vögel Deutschlands und Europas, 10th ed. Stuttgart: Franck-Kosmos, 1993, p. 196.
S. Cramp et al., The Birds of the western Palearctic, vol. v (Oxford 1998), 145-63.
John Pollard, Birds in Greek Life and Myth, London 1977, .
D'Arcy W. Thompson, A Glossary of Greek Birds, London 1936 (repr. Hildesheim, 1966), pp. 164-68.

 

 

This site was created April 5, 2006.
For comments or suggestions, please mail Ortwin Knorr.