Oregon State Bird

The 33rd state to become one of the 50 states of the United States, Oregon got its official proclamation on February 14, 1859. The capital city of Salem- a town famous more than the state in some ways.

It is also called the Beaver State due to the high population of beavers. The state bird of Oregon is a very popular choice for state birds. Thus, you might already be familiar with it. So what is the Oregon state bird??

What is the state bird of Oregon?

It was none other than the children of Oregon that chose the Oregon state bird. Of course, it turned out to be Western Meadowlark, made official in 1927. The popularity of this species, which belongs to the family of Orioles and blackbirds, is expected.

They are such small birds, about 8 to 11 inches at best. Their bright appearance, along with their 7 to 10 note melody, always attracted the attention of the children.

The magnificent Western Meadowlark

What makes the state bird of Oregon unusual?

The flute-like sound that comes out of the Oregon state bird has to be the most unusual thing about them. The call is thought to be healing, turning the worst of the days into better for some people. If you hear the call of a Western Meadowlark in the morning, your day will simply start brighter and better.

The appearance of the Western Meadowlark is also considered a little unusual. They have a lemon yellow colored plumage, and yet, there is a dark, deep black V on their neck. Their cheeks are yellow, but their wings are browner with bits of white in them. 

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Western Meadowlark Migration

Oregon State Bird Facts

The Oregon state bird deserves to be discussed in more detail for any aspiring birder out there.

1. The Western Meadowlark and Eastern Meadowlark are startlingly similar in appearance. There are certain places where the two species meet geographically. Yet, interbreeding is a rare occurrence among them.

Humans did experiment with captive breeding amongst the two species. The result was that the hybrid-young produced were mostly fertile. Yet, a lot of them weren’t capable of hatching their eggs.

2. Western Meadowlarks use the technique of gaping to feed. In this technique, they put their bill to the ground or the bark of a tree.

Then, using their bill, they create a hole in the bark or the soil. This process lets them put their bills deeper, reaching places for insects that most bird species can’t reach.

3. The roof of the nest of the Western Meadowlark is made of grass. Naturally, predators have a hard time locating them due to this excellent camouflage.

Final Thoughts

The bird of the meadows, Western Meadowlarks, certainly do feel at ease in Oregon. For someone looking to visit Oregon and seeing a Western Meadowlark, the best thing to do would be to attract them to your backyard.

Just have their favorite food ready and the feeder up, and you should be getting a morning visit from this bird species very soon.

Ornithology

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