The Bavarian Regional Association for Bird Protection is committed to the preservation of native bird life. Every year, the association selects a bird to bring to the foreground that is considered particularly in need of protection. In 2019, the skylark was named bird of the year. Made of the finest bisque porcelain, this figure is delivered together with a collector's certificate. The skylark (Alauda arvensis), known as the bird of the fields, is a species of the lark family and is one of the most common native songbirds. As ground breeders, the skylark prefers open, tree-free terrain. They prefer to settle mainly in habitats that are not too high and that offer good sources of sustenance such as fields, meadows, pastures, or heathlands. Here, they can build nests and go in search of food relatively undisturbed. Outside of the breeding season, the lark can be spotted on harvested fields, areas of freshly cut grass, wasteland, and in winter, on the edges of residential areas. They feed on a wide variety of foods: While in winter, plants and seeds take up the majority of the menu, in spring, insects, spiders, small snails, and earthworms are preferred. After winter, you can hear the sounds of the first male larks warbling high above the fields. With rolling, trilling, and chirping sounds, they announce the arrival of spring during flight. Their call includes a fast, rhythmic sequence of notes that repeats itself continuously for up to a length of five minutes. If you didn't know better, you'd think the sound came straight from heaven! While the skylark is somewhat of a star, to look at, it is rather inconspicuous. With its feathers being coloured in a variety of brown shades, it blends in perfectly with natural surroundings and is therefore optimally camouflaged while on the ground. Fine black and brown dashes decorate its brown plumage. However, its white belly is striking, especially in contrast to its brownish plumage and relatively long tail and its head of crown-feathers which look like a little bonnet.