TSAF: The Eurasian Skylark
Hail to thee, blithe Spirit!
Today’s special animal friend is the Eurasian skylark, Alauda arvensis. This passerine bird has a very wide native range across Eurasia and parts of Africa. This area is called the Palearctic, a “biogeographic realm” including all of Europe, North Africa, and central and northern Asia. It’s the green area in this video:
The skylark has also been introduced to Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and Canada. The Canadian population, limited to the Victoria, B.C., area, was never very successful; it has nearly disappeared due to habitat loss. In Hawaii, however, they have an established population and are not considered invasive. They are a marsh or grassland bird and flourish in dry, high-altitude fields in Hawaii.
As you can see, they are a cute little bird, about 6-7” high with a wingspan of 12-14”. This is bigger than a sparrow, but smaller than a starling. Although their appearance is unremarkable – medium brown and streaky on top, lighter underneath – they are famous for flying and singing.
Their typical flight is a quick, steep climb followed by a slow, shallow descent with musical accompaniment. This is a territorial/breeding behavior. Males establish a territory with performances and occasional fights; injuries are rare. When a female enters a male’s territory, he will court her with hopping and chirping. If she tries to leave, he’ll try to round her back up. (This guy in Midsomer goes into great detail. Sadly, he was murdered after the second commercial break.)
Females make a nest in a ground hollow lined with grass, where they lay 3 to 5 eggs. Like many ground-nesting birds, they have a quick incubation, 11 or 12 days, and quick fledging, about 10 days. In warm climates with abundant insects and seeds, a female may have five clutches in a breeding season. Skylarks are monogamous during the breeding season.
Eurasian skylarks are a species of Least Concern. Many populations have declined due to land-use changes and urban development. They have many predators, including mammals like foxes, stoats, rodents, and cats; birds of prey such as hawks and falcons, and snakes. Eggs and chicks are eaten by crows, magpies, and raptors. Other threats include mowing of fields, agricultural equipment, and trampling by livestock and farmers. If everything goes extremely well, their lifespan is up to 10 years.
Speaking of "dark," Nellie Bowles on how the cool kids will kill the Jews and everyone else and then eat one another, like the Donner Party:
"I think people assume Hasan Piker speaking about property owners is joking when he says: “Kill them. Kill those *****. Murder those ***** in the streets. Let the streets—let the streets soak in their ***** red capitalist blood.” I think they think it’s like goofy kid talk. But a lot of times, historically, groups of people have done just that. You think you’re exempt from history? You think the Hasan we face this cycle is any different from the Hasans of yesterday, just because he’s wearing a button-down this time and is handsome?
"I hate to tell you this, but they’ve always been hotties. That’s part of how you know they’re going to burn your house down! And they want to soak the streets in your blood. I guess they thought life would be better as a hot person and it’s not, so now they’re upset? And if enough ugly flesh sacks agree—love you guys! You keep me young!—then they will go wild and kill each other and starve. And after all the property owners and class enemies and healthcare executives have been beheaded, no one will have considered how Miss Nancy will continue to get her four lemons from Whole Foods."
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I recommend prayer and fasting.
Public Service Announcement: Full-fat Greek yogurt not only smells like vomit, but, if you leave the bowl in the sink instead of washing it immediately, that stuff sets up like Gorilla brand spackling compound, and you have to chisel it off with a big flathead screwdriver.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.