Nesting Record of European Skylark in Washington State

Abstract

The Skylark (Alauda arvensis) was introduced to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, in 1903 and 1913 (Carl and Guiget, British Columbia Provincial Museum Handbook 14, 1958). Bruce (Condor 63:418, 1961) gives a sight record for the species on San Juan Island, Washington, and Larrison (Washington Birds, Seattle Audubon Society, Seattle, 1968) includes it in an undocumented Rare and Accidental Species list. In 1969 Leslie Hall, a student at Western Washington State College, noted the species at the south end of San Juan Island. Further investigation showed several singing birds in an area of open, grassy habitat approximately one mile long and onethird mile wide. We searched the area, located at the monument marking the site of the American Camp during the Pig War of 1859-73, on 17 May 1970. After flushing an adult Skylark we found a nest containing three eggs, and we then followed food-carrying adults to a second nest containing four young birds a few days old. Both nests were within one-fourth mile of the monument. We estimated about 12 pairs of Skylarks in the area. Other species apparently nesting there included Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis) and Vesper Sparrows (Pooecetes gramineus). The area is heavily populated with European Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and attracts numbers of eagles and hawks as well as foxes and other predators. Although the species may have introduced itself on San Juan Island years ago from Vancouver Island (about 15 miles away), as far as we can ascertain, this record is the first proof of its nesting in the state of Washington, and the only current record for the continental United States.