Skylark

Singing high above fields and marshes, the unmistakeable skylark is a joyful sound of spring and summer. A 62% breeding population decline between 1970 and 2015 makes skylark a red listed bird of conservation concern UK. 

Skylark nest in open arable and pastoral fields with short growth crops or tussocky grass. They nest on the ground and feed their young exclusively on spiders and insects. Over winter, skylarks eat seeds and leaves of arable weed species. Skylark decline is linked to the widespread adoption of winter sown cereal crops not suitable for nesting in the spring, overuse of pesticides, reducing chick food, loss of winter stubbles, reducing adult winter food and a move to early silage cutting on grasslands, destroying nests in the spring.  

We work with farmers to identify and improve skylark habitat on farms throughout Suffolk. Skylark breed successfully on many of our nature reserves.  

Skylark UK Factfile