Kansas State Bird

Kansas State Bird

The 34th state of the US that became an official state, it’s called Kansas. The official proclamation happened on January 29th of the year 1861. The capital city of Kansas is Topeka. Kansas has a beautiful nickname. It is actually also known as the sunflower state. A state with such a beautiful nickname, of course, it has an equally beautiful state bird.

What is the State Bird of Kansas?

The Kansas state bird is none other than the Western Meadowlark, designated this position in 1937. Belonging to the family of orioles and blackbirds, the adult Meadowlarks have a yellow chest and head. The top of their head and wing, though, is filled with black and white stripes. There’s also a V-shaped black patch on their chest. They love agricultural areas and are often seen perched on fence posts.

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What Makes the State Bird of Kansas Unusual?

The most unusual and easily the best thing about the Western Meadowlark is their call. They have an almost flute-like sound that could make anyone’s day feel brighter. Of course, their appearance is also noted and loved. After all, how many bird species out there sport such a vivid shade of yellow? The color of the Western Meadowlark combined with their call certainly makes it hard to miss them in the meadows of North-West America.

Western Meadowlark Migration

Kansas State Bird Facts

Let’s learn more things about the Kansas official state bird!

1. Is it actually quite hard to find the nest of Western Meadowlark? Is it because they make their nests in unusual places? Not at all. Instead, it is because the nests have a roof made of grass. An excellent camouflage, for you will never be able to guess looking at some grassy areas that a nest of an Western Meadowlark might be hidden underneath it. Some nests might have an entrance tunnel that is actually almost seven feet. It would take a long time for one to reach the actual nest of the Meadowlark this way.

2. Western Meadowlark and Eastern Meadowlark have almost similar appearance. However, rarely do inter breeding occur between the two species. Very few times, in the areas where their ranges meet, do the two species come close to each other. Experiments with captive breeding have been done. The hybrids produced seem to be fertile but don’t give birth to eggs that hatch that often.

3. Western Meadowlark use a technique called gaping while feeding. In this case, they put their bill into a tree bark or soil and force the area open with their bill and create a hole. This way, Meadowlark can reach insects and other food items that a lot of bird species can’t.

Final Thoughts

The Kansas official state bird can be seen on the green, meadowy areas of Kansas. The quieter the place is with more grassland, the more likely you are to catch a Meadowlark resting atop a fence post. You just need to be prepared with your birding gear, especially your camera, to capture this beautiful moment.

Ornithology

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