Eastern Meadowlark

Sturnella magnaOrder: PASSERIFORMES Family: Blackbirds and Orioles (Icteridae)

Codes: Common Name: EAME Scientific Name: STUMAG ITIS Taxonomic No.: 179034

Breeding Location:

Grasslands

Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Solitary nester

Breeding Population:

Egg Color:

Pale pink with brown and lavender speckles

Number of Eggs:

3 - 7

Incubation Days:

13 - 14

Egg Incubator:

Both sexes

Nest Material:

Dried grasses, pine needles, horsehair, and plant stems.

Migration:

Northern birds migrate

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.

Breeding and 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.

Foraging and 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.

Vocalization

Eastern Meadowlark: Song is a whistling "see-you-see-yer" or "spring is here" which it sings while perched on a fence post, tree, pole, or on the ground. Also utters harsh alarming notes to proclaim territory.

Similar Species

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

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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.

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

Underparts

Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.

Undertail coverts

Small feathers that cover the areas where the retrices (tail feathers) attach to the rump.

Upperparts

Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.

Belly

The ventral part of the bird, or the area between the flanks on each side and the crissum and breast. Flight muscles are located between the belly and the breast.

Breast

The upper front part of a bird.

Crown

The crown is the top part of the birds head.

Face

The front part of the head consisting of the bill, eyes, cheeks and chin.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America