Appearance:

Small, but tall and elegant Tringa. Body the size of Wood Sandpiper, but stands as tall as Greenshank. Tibia especially long. The needle-like, straight bill adds to the elegance. Pale face, especially at base of bill. Back grey in adults, with star-shaped speckles in summer and narrow, pale fringes in winter. Immatures with broader fringes and overall darker upperparts. In flight the long legs trails far behind the tail, and the narrow white wedge on the back is conspicuous. Wings are dark with no bars, and shows as the darkest part of the bird also when on ground (especially in adults). Surprisingly quick and easy take-off. Posture generally erect and tall, particularly when nervous.

Sound:

Song a slow, melancholic whistle "tu-lee-uu", with the middle part highest in pitch (and with falling glissando). Similar to Spotted Redshank in structure, but with a clear tone (little risk of confusion). Flight call/contact call similar to singular instances of alarm call of Redshank, consisting of a single note rising abruptly in pitch in a split second and then falling; "kieew". Lingers a bit at the ending of the note, giving it a clearer glissando than in Redshank.

Contact call:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

CC

CC-photo:Wouter Van Gasse, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Derek Keats, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Very similar to Crested Lark, and identification can be very difficult in areas where both species occur. The much used streaked-breast character is not always relevant because of regional variations among the many subspecies of both Crested and Thekla. Then habitat, behaviour and voice becomes important for identification. A combination of the following characters should be used to tell it from Crested: Bill appears straight (because of convex lower mandible), crest fuller and not so pointed, belly less deep, back more heavily streaked , tail coverts rusty-brown in contrast to rump, underwing coverts greyish white (not rufous), upper breast with defined streaking ("done with marker pen"). Eye-stripe white behind eye. Will often perch atop of scrubs or bushes, unlike Crested, and usually prefers higher altitude habitats.

Sound:

Song: a mix of long whistling, warbling sounds, trills and mimicry. Full song very similar to Crested Lark. Rudiments of song are often heard and is less whistling than Crested. The contact call/alarm-call may be the best characteristic to separate it from Crested Lark where both species occur. Thekla Lark calls with 3-5 syllables, of which one is often drawn out and "hangs" while falling in pitch, giving it a melancholic feeling (diagnostic). The phrase has a more "bouncing" feel to it than Crested Lark.

Call and song (diagnostic call at time 08-11 sec.):

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC