Western Meadowlark

The Western Meadowlark is a vibrantly colored bird that is usually identified through the distinctive V-shape black coloration on its breast. These harmonious songbirds sing a pleasant flute-like melody.

About Western Meadowlarks

Back in the 19th century, Western Meadowlarks were highly neglected birds, so they were given the Latin name Sturnella neglecta. John James Audubon coined this name because he was astonished observing how little attention these beautiful songbirds garnered. Now, they are extremely popular birds around 6 states have it as their state bird.
Western Meadowlarks are strikingly similar to Eastern Meadowlarks, and only a very experienced birder can distinguish them based on appearance alone. Other than small differences in the shapes of their shapes and bills, there aren’t many differences to observe. An easier method of differentiating between these birds is to observe their songs and call notes. The songs of Western Meadowlarks are very distinct from the songs of Eastern Meadowlarks.

The range of both these birds often clashes, but there are still very few cases of interbreeding. In most cases, these two species are actually very hostile towards each other, and they aggressively protect their territories from each other. These birds also observe songs and call notes to be able to differentiate between each other.

Sometimes, interbreeding between the two occurs, but usually at the edges of forests. The fertility rate in hybrids is excellent, although their eggs often don’t hatch. Western Meadowlarks are not endangered birds, and they actually have quite a large population but it is steadily declining. Although this isn’t an imminent problem, it has the potential of becoming one. To curb this decline, practices that are harmful to their habitat must be stopped.

● Western Meadowlarks Photos, Color Pattern, Song
● Western Meadowlarks Size, Eating behavior, Habitat
● Western Meadowlarks Range and Migration, Nesting

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Western Meadowlark Color Pattern

Western Meadowlarks have bright plumages which broadly have the same appearance for males and females. The only difference between the sexes is that female plumage feathers are slightly more affected by wear and tear, therefore males look slightly brighter during certain seasons. Their upperparts are predominantly brown with blackish barring on them. The outside of their retrices are white.

Birdwatchers should focus on their heads to identify them as they have some unique and distinctive features on their heads. A whitish supercilium runs across their head, their eyes have dark outlines, and their cheeks are yellow or white.

Underparts of Western Meadowlarks are yellow with distinct black streaking present on their sides and flanks. There’s a black crescent on their breasts, and their under tail coverts are whitish and have dark streaks.

Outside of the breeding season, the feathers on their face and underparts have a buff veil on them. The upper parts of Juvenile Western Meadowlarks are paler in comparison to the adults, and they are brown. Their head stripes are less defined, the stripe on their supercilium is not as white, and the yellow coloration of their underparts is not as bright.

Description and Identification

Western Meadowlarks are also birds that you hear before you see. If a birdwatcher is patient enough they might be able to spot these tiny birds, but then one might confuse them with their relatives, “Eastern Meadowlarks”.

As we’ve already learned before, vocalizations are the easiest way to differentiate between these two birds. One very interesting aspect of their vocalizations is that if these birds are not exposed to vocalizations of their own species as juveniles, they begin to imitate the vocalizations of other species they are exposed to. Especially songs and calls of Common Yellowthroats, Red-winged Blackbirds, Eastern Wood-Pewees, and Eastern Meadowlarks.

These birds need at least 2 months of proper exposure to learn a specific song. Western Meadowlarks learn songs of two different species that develop bivalent repertoires. In such cases, it might get a lot more difficult to identify these birds.

Western Meadowlark Song

Juveniles at 1 month old begin vocalizing by making a random warbling sound. This song is a subsong or a partial song. Until juveniles leave their nests, they do not begin singing the entirety of their song. They make call notes during the 5th week, but the phrases in them don’t resemble their primary song.

They often learn the primary song with its discrete notes before they begin migrating. They learn the song by being in the presence of mature individuals. By their first winter, almost all juveniles are familiar with the primary song. It is very important that abundant exposure to their song is present during the beginning of their development, or they may never learn their song.

In many reports, researchers have observed a “hybrid song” that has a blend of features from the songs of both Eastern Meadowlarks and Western Meadowlarks. This is not necessarily due to interbreeding. Instead, it could be a result of misdirected learning or a consequence of the range overlap of these birds.

Male Western Meadowlarks sing a complex and melodious song that typically consists of two phrases. The first phrase is a series of 1-6 whistles, and the second phrase is a series of 1-5 gurgling sounds. You can easily identify an individual Western Meadowlark by the style of their singing.

They sometimes sing the primary song while flying, but they also have a distinct flight song. This song is a lot more hurried and can symbolize excitement or terror. It is a series of warbling or twittering, which usually begins with whistles that are vocalized at increasingly shorter intervals. They sing this song when male Western
Meadowlarks are defending their territories or communicating with potential mates. Females don’t sing.

During winter, singing is a much shorter duration containing “chupps” and whistles which they commonly use as alarm calls. They use all of the calls during winter and migration, but they lack the length and excitement of the songs sung during the breeding season. There is a steady decline in singing after breeding which gradually picks up again
during fall.

Western Meadowlark Size

Western Meadowlarks are medium-size birds. On average, they are 8.5 inches in length and have a wingspan of approximately 16.1 inches. They generally weigh between 3.1-4.1 ounces. They are of the same size as Eastern Meadowlarks.

Western Meadowlark Behavior

Male Western Meadowlarks arrive about a month earlier to the breeding grounds. They use this time to establish their territory and protecting it from intruders. These highly territorial birds burst into song while chasing their foes away. These chases can last up to 3 minutes.

Males use a “jump flight” to quickly pursue intruders which have breached the boundaries of their territory. They spring straight into the air and flutter their wings while letting the rest of their body go limp.

Male Western Meadowlarks are non-monogamous birds that generally have 2 mates. They are not very involved in the process of incubation, or of raising their broods. The only manner in which they contribute to the raising of their chicks is by providing food after the nestlings hatch.

These birds are very sensitive to human interference, so they very commonly abandon their nests if they are disturbed during the incubation period. Western Meadowlarks are ground foragers that eat in flocks. They forage in open fields and probe the soil for weed seeds, grain, and insects. These birds fly in bursts, they highly alternate their wingbeats during flight, and they love to glide around.

Western Meadowlark Diet

Western Meadowlarks are diurnal feeders, which consume most of their food by morning. They forage less during afternoons.

These omnivores have a diet that majorly consists of grains and insects. Grains are dominant during winters and insects are dominant during summers. They also eat pebbles to aid digestion. Sometimes, they also eat the eggs and the young of other birds. When these birds feed on sprouting grain, they might occasionally eat them whole, or crush them for their milk and discard the grains.

The most common insects in their diet are weevils, wireworms, beetles, grasshoppers, cutworms, and crickets. Western Meadowlarks usually require 2-4 hours to digest the food they have consumed. Insects are easier to digest than seeds and grains. In the duration of one day, these birds consume food almost 3 times the size of their stomach.
If winters are especially severe these birds might rely on roadkills, or prey caught by other birds to sustain themselves. Although prevalent, this behavior is rare.

Western Meadowlark Habitat

These birds generally inhabit a number of grassland habitats. They are most frequently in croplands and grasslands. Other than grasslands, they inhabit orchards, borders of farms, and roadsides. A good cover of grass and litter is almost a must for them. Western Meadowlarks are not common in regions in which tall and dense grasses are. They are also not particularly tolerant of habitats that are very close to urban areas or woody vegetation.

Western Meadowlarks have significantly large territories in comparison to other grassland passerines. When their range overlaps with Eastern Meadowlarks they often choose uplands, or sometimes both the species might inhabit the same habitat. During winter and migration, Western Meadowlarks are often in the same kind of vegetation, but in some cases, they winter in habitats that are unsuitable for breeding.

Range and Migration

Western Meadowlarks are widespread in central North America, and most of southern North America, although you won’t see them in the southernmost portion. Their breeding northern portion of their range begins in central British Columbia and extends all the way to northwestern New York.

Their winter range begins from southern British Columbia and extends southwards till central Kentucky and eastern Alabama. There is a great overlap between the ranges of Eastern Meadowlarks and Western Meadowlarks.

Western Meadowlark Lifecycle

Breeding occurs between late March to August, in a slightly southern portion of their breeding range. They lay their eggs anywhere from late April to late June. The eggs are white with slight or imminent spotting. The color of the spots can be ferruginous, lavender, or brown.

After an incubation period of 13-15 days, they 5-6 eggs. The size of the clutch can also be as large as 10. Most Western Meadowlarks only raise one brood, but some populations raise up to 2 broods.

Juveniles need approximately one year to become sexually mature. They begin searching for mates in the breeding season following their birth. There is not much data about survival rates, but the oldest Western Meadowlark to live in the wild was 6.5 years, and the longest captive Western Meadowlark was 10 years.

Nesting

Western Meadowlarks build their nests on the ground. The female uses her bill to create a cup-shape depression in the soil and then lines it with grasses and stems. They usually build the nest within 6-8 days, and if they have to re-nest it can take as little as 4 days. The nest is 7-8 inches in diameter, and it is about 2-3 inches deep.

Anatomy of a Western Meadowlark

Western Meadowlarks have a stout body and a long and slender bill. Their tails are short, and the long legs and toes. Their nostrils are egg-shape.

Final Thoughts

These birds are magnificent and melodious. An avid birdwatcher will certainly enjoy watching their bright yellow lower bodies with that distinctive and striking V-shape on their breast.

One of the most interesting features of these birds is their ability to mimic the songs of other birds, although this might be the cause of some confusion for birdwatchers.

Ornithology

Bird Watching Academy & Camp Subscription Boxes

At the Bird Watching Academy & Camp we help kids, youth, and adults get excited and involved in bird watching. We have several monthly subscription boxes that you can subscribe to. Our monthly subscription boxes help kids, youth, and adults learn about birds, bird watching, and bird conservation.

Bird Watching Binoculars for IdentifyingWestern Meadowlarks

The most common types of bird watching binoculars for viewing Western Meadowlarks are 8×21 binoculars and 10×42 binoculars. Bird Watching Academy & Camp sells really nice 8×21 binoculars and 10×42 binoculars. You can view and purchase them here.

Western Meadowlark Iron On Patches

Kids, Youth, and Adults love to collect our Bird Watching Academy & Camp iron on patches. Our bird watching patches help you keep track of the birds you have seen an identified. You can also display the patches on our Bird Watching Academy & Camp banners.

The Western Meadowlark is a great iron on patch to start your collection with. The patches are durable and can be sewn on or ironed on to just about anything.

Western Meadowlark Stickers

Stickers are a great way for you to display your love for bird watching and the Western Meadowlark. We sell a monthly subscription sticker pack. The sticker packs have 12 bird stickers. These sticker packs will help your kids learn new birds every month.

Bird Feeders For Western Meadowlarks

There are many types of bird feeders. Bird feeders are a great addition to your backyard. Bird feeders will increase the chances of attracting birds drastically. Both kids and adults will have a great time watching birds eat at these bird feeders. There are a wide variety of bird feeders on the market and it is important to find the best fit for you and your backyard.

Bird HousesFor Western Meadowlarks

There are many types of bird houses. Building a bird house is always fun but can be frustrating. Getting a bird house for kids to watch birds grow is always fun. If you spend a little extra money on bird houses, it will be well worth every penny and they’ll look great.