Oriental Skylark
Alauda gulgula
Silhouette: Gossipguy and T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyAlaudidae (Larks)
- GenusAlauda (Skylarks)
- SpeciesAlauda gulgula (Oriental Skylark)
About the Oriental Skylark
The Oriental skylark (Alauda gulgula) is a species of skylark found in the Sino-Indian region and parts of central Asia. Like other skylarks, it is found in open grassland where it feeds on seeds and insects. The Oriental skylark was described by the English soldier and naturalist James Franklin in 1831 and given the binomial name Alauda gulgula. The meaning of the specific epithet gulgula is uncertain but is perhaps a reference to the song as gula is Latin for "throat", or maybe the colour of a gulgula, a sweet which looks like doughnut, made in many parts of Central India.
Other alternate names for the Oriental skylark include small skylark, eastern skylark, Indian skylark and lesser skylark. Nine subspecies are accepted: A. g. inconspicua Severtsov, 1873: southern Kazakhstan to eastern Iran, Pakistan and north-western India; originally described as a separate species
A. g. lhamarum Meinertzhagen, R & Meinertzhagen, A, 1926: Pamir Mountains and western Himalayas A. g. australis Brooks, WE, 1873: south-western India; originally described as a separate species A. g. inopinata Bianchi, 1905: Tibetan Plateau and north-western China
A. g... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Oriental Skylark in Wilpattu National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Wilpattu National Park
Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark
Eremopterix griseus
Indian Robin
Saxicoloides fulicatus
Oriental Magpie-Robin
Copsychus saularis
Black-hooded Oriole
Oriolus xanthornus
Indian Paradise-Flycatcher
Terpsiphone paradisi
White-browed Bulbul
Pycnonotus luteolus
Oriental Pipit
Anthus rufulus
Common Iora
Aegithina tiphia
Purple-rumped Sunbird
Leptocoma zeylonica
Yellow-billed Babbler
Turdoides affinis
Common Tailorbird
Orthotomus sutorius
Brown Shrike
Lanius cristatus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bandipur National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Yala National Park | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 3 | Minneriya National Park | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 4 | Wilpattu National Park | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 5 | Satpura National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 6 | Chitwan National Park | 🇳🇵 Nepal | |
| 7 | Nagarhole National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 8 | Kaziranga National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 9 | Taroko National Park | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | |
| 10 | Ranthambore National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 11 | Jim Corbett National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 12 | Khao Yai National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 13 | Horton Plains National Park | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 14 | Sundarbans National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 15 | Periyar National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 16 | Manas National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 17 | Kanha National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 18 | Royal Bardia National Park | 🇳🇵 Nepal | |
| 19 | Eravikulam National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 20 | Royal Manas National Park | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | |
| 21 | Keoladeo National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 22 | Bandhavgarh National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 23 | Doi Inthanon National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 24 | Kaeng Krachan National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Oriental Skylark in Wilpattu National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Oriental Skylark sighting in Wilpattu National Park, based on 23 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Oriental Skylark in Wilpattu National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Oriental Skylark in Wilpattu National Park in our monthly data.