FOKKER KC (2021) Territorial Woodlarks Lullula arborea outside their breeding range in the Netherlands. LIMOSA 94 (3): 128-131.

In 2018 two territorial Woodlarks were recorded singing above large bodies of deposited sand on clay soil in the western part of the Netherlands, near Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht and Amsterdam. The habitat resembles the natural habitat of Woodlark in the Netherlands, which is characterized by open vegetation on sandy soil. The Woodlarks were singing from 7-22 June (Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht) and 12-17 June (Amsterdam). Despite several visits to both areas only single birds were observed and it is unlikely that they were paired. The areas lay respectively 29 and 12 km from the regular breeding range. A search on the bird-observations website Waarneming.nl proved that the phenomenon is rare, because no similar events could be detected. This is supported by the idea that Woodlarks usually disperse over short distances. However, one colour-ringed female was found breeding at two sites 130 km apart. This indicates that Woodlarks are able to colonize isolated patches of suitable habitat, but the low number of cases indicates that this behaviour is rare.

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