Cheryl Tipp, Curator of Natural Sounds writes:

The Skylark, Alauda arvensis, is one of our finest songsters, possessing a song that excels in all areas. Complex, fast, full of mimicry and seemingly neverending, this song is one of the signature elements of the British summer soundscape. Being very much a bird of open countryside, the Skylark can usually be heard in areas dominated by farmland, heaths or marshes. Heard is the key word here as you'll more than likely hear a Skylark before you see one. As you gradually become aware of a steady stream of liquid, warbling notes, look up into the sky. If conditions are right and you look hard enough, you'll soon spot a brown dot ascending ever higher - you've found your Skylark.

The following recording is but one of many wonderful examples of this songbird's voice. It was made by Rex Ashby in Hampshire during the summer of 1982 and is a prime example of the versatility, complexity and sheer beauty of the Skylark's song.

Skylark, Hampshire, England (Rex Ashby)

More Skylark examples can be found in British Wildlife Recordings.

(Image courtesy of Electrographica)