tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024224516112831243.post5274891124431775660..comments2023-10-06T13:13:52.595+01:00Comments on Ornithological Idiocy: Having a Lark?!Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16307934734992834446noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024224516112831243.post-54826878137698603162008-04-08T10:00:00.000+01:002008-04-08T10:00:00.000+01:00Okay, the previous comment was rather useless. I s...Okay, the previous comment was rather useless. I seriously think your larks are Theklas. I do get to see a fair amount of Cresteds here in Germany and have been to the Mediterranean a few times. Theklas and Cresteds have a strikingly different head profile. Cresteds have a long bill and a rather flat, longish head, they also appear (though this might be an optical effect rather than something you can measure) longer-necked. Theklas have a shorter, more conical bill and their crest doesn't really look like a crest, just like an extremely flat forehead of a high and deformed head. Their head thus appears more rounded (as long as it is high whereas Crested appears longer than it is high) and the whole bird always a bit more chubby, shorter-necked etc. Add to this some rufous on the rump and you can be pretty sure you've seen a Thekla. <BR/><BR/>Okay, I am aware of the difficulties the different subspecies pose, but heck, this worked for me in Spain and if you're somewhere in Algeria, you'll have to see for yourself. <BR/><BR/>And if all that doesn't float your Thekla-boat, visit Mallorca. No Cresteds there, just Theklas, so it's easy... Or go to central Europe for your definite Cresteds.Jochenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10852825311605464857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024224516112831243.post-50800790183587120502008-04-07T15:06:00.000+01:002008-04-07T15:06:00.000+01:00Just by intuition and that darned general impressi...Just by intuition and that darned general impression (yeah, right), I'd call that a Thekla. They are more chubby and look as if they've run against a wall with their head once too often: short bill, short crest, shorter neck/head...Jochenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10852825311605464857noreply@blogger.com