Woodlark Lullula arborea

The woodlark is well known for its striking melodious song, which it delivers on the wing. Similar to its Skylark cousin, the woodlark however differs in its song, the bold eyebrow, and the short tail with the white tips.

Conservation status in Norfolk

Woodlarks are protected under schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) which means it is an offence to take, injure or kill a woodlark or to destroy or take a nest or its contents. The species is also listed in the Norfolk Biodiversity Action Plan.

Due to the woodlark's specialist habitat requirements, it can only thrive where the land is actively managed. Grasslands grazed by rabbits are a good habitat but in forestry areas active management is needed to ensure healthy population levels. Here it is necessary to ensure there are managed areas of clear fell providing suitable short grass for feeding and breeding.

Woodlark surveys carried out by the British Trust for Ornithology show that breeding pairs have been increasing thanks to better habitat management.

Click to see the Biodiversity Action Plan Species for this species

How to help

Woodlarks are ground nesters so please keep to marked paths if you are visiting the Brecks or areas of heathland during the breeding season to avoid accidentally destroying the nests. If you have a dog, then please keep it on a lead in these places for the same reason.

Adopt me today and help ensure my future!

needs woodlark

Information on the Woodlark

How to recognise

The woodlark is a bird of heath land and similar open spaces. It is superficially like a small skylark with an overall colouration of pale creamy-buff with upperparts heavily streaked with dark brown and black. The underside is white with lighter brown streaking on the breast. It can be told from its larger and more common relative the skylark by the following distinctive features: the bright, bold supercilium (eye-brow) meets at the nape to form a distinctive ‘V’; the tail is very short and has white tips only (skylark has clear white outer tail feathers); the broad wing lacks a white trailing edge but has a pale bar towards its leading edge; and when seen on the ground there is a distinct chequered pattern of white-black-white on the edge of the folded wing.

Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of the woodlark is its beautiful melodious song which is delivered on the wing. This song is widely regarded as being one of the finest amongst UK birds.

There are no plumage differences between the sexes.

Where to see

Woodlarks are usually found in areas that contain patches of bare ground or that have only very short vegetation intermixed with areas of long grass or heather. Such places include heaths, rough pasture and forestry plantations which have been recently felled and restocked.

Woodlarks are now restricted to eastern and southern England. In Norfolk it can be found on the heaths and rides of Breckland and north Norfolk where it has enjoyed something of a population boom in recent years due to sympathetic management of forestry plantations and remaining heath lands. Places that offer a good chance of seeing woodlarks are NWT nature reserves at Weeting Heath and Syderstone Common as well as the area around Thetford Forest.

When to see

The best time to see woodlarks is during the breeding season (mainly March-June) when the birds will be active singing, courting or feeding young. If breeding birds are encountered they should not be disturbed and should only be observed from a distance. Woodlarks are resident and with patience can sometimes be found in small numbers during autumn and winter feeding on open farmland, especially near the coast and in breckland. They can also sometimes be seen in small numbers at coastal locations during spring and autumn migration.

Did you know?

A survey carried out by the BTO in 1997 showed Breckland had the largest regional population of breeding woodlarks.

Finding out more

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

In this section