Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) | Photos, Calls and ID

NENot EvaluatedInvertebrates

GrasslandDomed nestMedium · 92 g

What the Eastern Meadowlark sounds like

Sonogram of the Eastern Meadowlark: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.

Recorded by Diana Doyle · Song · 3Canyons Ranch, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

Recorded by Jonathon Jongsma · Song · Afton State Park, Washington County, Minnesota, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

Recorded by Jonathon Jongsma · Call · Afton State Park, Washington County, Minnesota, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

The adult eastern meadowlark measures from 19 to 28 cm (7.5 to 11.0 in) in length and spans 35–40 cm (14–16 in) across the wings. Body mass ranges from 76 to 150 g (2.7 to 5.3 oz). The extended wing bone measures 8.9–12.9 cm (3.5–5.1 in), the tail measures 5.3–8.6 cm (2.1–3.4 in), the culmen measures 2.8–3.7 cm (1.1–1.5 in) and the tarsus measures 3.6–4.7 cm (1.4–1.9 in). Females are smaller in all physical dimensions. Adults have yellow underparts with a black "V" on the breast and white flanks with black streaks. The upperparts are mainly brown with black streaks.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Eastern Meadowlark

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 10 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is May, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Eastern Meadowlark

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 18 countries with regular records, and 1 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

United States Canada Colombia Costa Rica Belize Mexico Panama Cuba Honduras Guatemala Venezuela Nicaragua Guyana El Salvador Brazil Suriname French Guiana Bermuda

Recorded as a rare visitor in St. Pierre & Miquelon.

About the Eastern Meadowlark

The eastern meadowlark is a medium-sized icterid bird, very similar in appearance to its sister species, the western meadowlark. It occurs from eastern North America to northern South America, where it is also most widespread in the east. The Chihuahuan meadowlark was formerly considered to be conspecific with the eastern meadowlark.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaWestern meadowlark adults have yellow underparts with a black "V" on the breast and white flanks streaked with black.

Chihuahuan MeadowlarkSturnella lilianaeThe Chihuahuan meadowlark is about 25 cm (9.8 in) long.

Side by side: Eastern Meadowlark vs Western Meadowlark · Chihuahuan Meadowlark vs Eastern Meadowlark

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