alouette

Alouette is the French word for a lark, and in English it is used to refer to several species of small, ground-dwelling birds in the family Alaudidae. The term is commonly applied to the Eurasian skylark (Alauda arvensis) and related species such as the crested lark (Galerida cristata) and the Calandra lark (Melanocorypha calandra).

Most alouettes are medium-sized passerines with slender bodies, long pointed wings, and short tails. They have cryptic brownish plumage that helps them blend into open grasslands. They feed mainly on seeds, supplemented by insects during the breeding season. Many species sing relentlessly from open perches or during high, skyward flights in courtship.

Habitat and distribution: Found across Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa, open habitats such as fields, meadows, and semiarid steppe. Some species migrate seasonally, while others are resident. They nest on the ground, building shallow cups among grasses.

Cultural references: The name alouette is widely recognized in the French-Canadian children's song Alouette, which describes plucking a lark in a playful and repetitive form. The word has also been used as an emblem or name for helicopters, notably the Aérospatiale Alouette family (Alouette II and III), and appears in various literary and musical contexts.

Etymology: from Old French alouette, from Latin alauda.