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Eastern Meadowlark

Sturnella magnaOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Blackbirds and Orioles (Icteridae)

Eastern Meadowlark Breeding Male Portrait
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General

Eastern Meadowlark: Short, stocky ground-dwelling bird with buff- and black-streaked, brown upperparts. Head has black-and-white striped crown, white face, black eyestripe and a sharply pointed bill. Throat to belly is bright yellow with broad black V on breast. Tail is brown with white edges and undertail coverts. Sexes are similar. Juvenile is paler yellow with black spots on underparts.

Range and Habitat

Eastern Meadowlark: Breeds from southeastern Canada through eastern U.S. west to Arizona; resident in the Bahamas and Mexico. Spends winters mostly within breeding range. Preferred habitats include pastures, meadows, grassy fields, prairies, open country, and country roadsides. Often seen singing from fence posts or utility wires.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"see-you-see-yer", "spring is here"

Interesting Facts

 A male Eastern Meadowlark typically has two mates at a time, and on rare occasion, three.

 Up to 17 subspecies are recognized by taxonomists.

 The scientific name Sturnella magna is Latin for, rather confusingly, "large little starling", the generic name having being given due to the meadowlarks' behavior being similar to starlings.

 A group of meadowlarks are collectively known as a "pod" of meadowlarks.



Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Eastern Meadowlark
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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.
Family Meadowlark (Icteridae)_blue
Species Sturnella magna
Length9 - 11 Inches
Wingspan15.25 Inches

Eastern Meadowlark

Eastern Meadowlark: Short ground-dwelling bird with buff- and black-streaked brown upperparts. Head has black-and-white striped crown, white face, black eyestripe and a pointed bill. Throat to belly is yellow, broad black V on breast. Brown tail has white edges and undertail coverts.

● Song: "see-you-see-yer", "spring is here"

● Foraging & Feeding: Eastern Meadowlark: Feeds mostly on insects and other invertebrates; also eats seeds and berries. Forages on the ground; finds food by gaping (forcibly opening bill) in soil or in plant stalks to expose hidden prey.

● Breeding & nesting: Eastern Meadowlark: Three to seven pale pink eggs with brown and lavender spots are laid in a nest made of dried grass, pine needles, horsehair, and plant stems; nest is domed-shaped with a side entrance and built on the ground in a meadow, crop field, or weedy orchard. Incubation ranges from 13 to 14 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Eastern Meadowlark: Western Meadowlark is duller, has yellow throat extending slightly farther onto face, and different voice.

Flight Pattern

Several rapid wing beats followed by a glide.
Eastern Meadowlark Breeding Male Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Eastern Meadowlark: Breeds from southeastern Canada through eastern U.S. west to Arizona; resident in the Bahamas and Mexico. Spends winters mostly within breeding range. Preferred habitats include pastures, meadows, grassy fields, prairies, open country, and country roadsides. Often seen singing from fence posts or utility wires.
BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester
Population
MigrationNorthern birds migrate
Weight3.6 Ounces