Identification: The Woodlark is a rare bird in Britain, most likely to be located by its delightful song, but often extremely confiding if you do happen to find one. Compared to the much commoner Skylark it is smaller, with a strikingly short tail and no white frailing edge to the wing. Notice how the obvious pale eyestripes continue over the reddish ear-coverts and meet at the back of the crown. A little black-and-white patch at the bend of the wing is also diagnostic and there are white corners to the tail instead of a completely white outer tail feather.

Habitat: Breeds on heaths, clearings and young conifer plantations. Winters in rough grass and stubble fields

Distribution: A rare and localised breeding bird, mainly in southern England. The strongholds are in Breckland, the New Forest and Dorset, with a few smaller populations elsewhere. They tend to favour young forestry plantations and heathland. Some dispersal occurs in winter.

Occurs widely throughout Europe except most of Britain and Scandinavia. Locally common where there are grassy slopes and scattered trees such as Aggtelek (Hungary), Dadia (Greece) and Monfrague (Spain).

Population: 124-659 breeding pairs in Britain mainly in the south and south-west with a large population in Suffolk. None in Ireland.

1,000,000-2,200,000 breeding pairs found widely across Europe. Spain and Portugal have the biggest populations which comprise more than three-quarters of Europe's total.