Chihuahuan Meadowlark
Chihuahuan Meadowlark
Sturnella lilianae
At a Glance
In the Southwest, this chunky, yellow-breasted bird sings from dry grasslands. Its clear, whistled song is similar to that of the widespread Eastern Meadowlark, and for years it was thought to be just a regional variation of that bird. Not until 2022 was the Chihuahuan Meadowlark recognized as a full species and named for the Chihuahuan Desert that makes up a major part of its range.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Blackbirds and Orioles, Perching Birds
IUCN Status
Near Threatened
Habitat
Desert and Arid Habitats, Fields, Meadows, and Grasslands, Shrublands, Savannas, and Thickets
Region
Rocky Mountains, Southwest, Texas
Behavior
Flap/Glide, Flushes, Running
Population
37.000.000
Range & Identification
Migration & Range Maps
Present all year in most of range, although only small numbers usually remain through winter in North. Migrants arrive rather early in spring and linger late in fall.
Description
Sexes similar — Length 9-11 in (23-28 cm); wingspan: data unavailable; weight: 3.5–4.6 oz (98–131 g). The Chihuahuan Meadowlark is a chunky, short-tailed bird with a black “V" on a yellow breast, a streaked brown back, and white outer tail feathers. Looks similar to Western Meadowlark, with which it overlaps in range, but has much more white in the tail—most easily seen when the bird spreads its tail as it is landing. Somewhat paler on the back than Eastern Meadowlark. Best separated from Western Meadowlark by voice and tail pattern, and from Eastern Meadowlark by range.
Size
About the size of a Robin
Color
Black, Brown, Tan, White, Yellow
Wing Shape
Rounded
Tail Shape
Rounded, Short, Square-tipped
Songs and Calls
Clear, mellow whistle, see-you, see-yeeeer; also a loud rattling alarm note and a sharp, buzzy dzzhrrt.
Call Pattern
Falling, Flat
Call Type
Buzz, Chirp/Chip, Flute, Trill, Whistle
Habitat
Dry, open grasslands, sometimes mixed with scattered yuccas or mesquites, and patches of bare ground. In winter, when flocks of Western Meadowlarks in the Southwest are often found in farm fields, most Chihuahuan Meadowlarks remain in natural grasslands.
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Behavior
Eggs
4-6, sometimes up to 7. White, heavily spotted with brown and purple. Incubation is by female, about 13-15 days.
Young
Both parents feed nestlings (but the female may do more). Young leave nest after 11-12 days, when still unable to fly, and are tended by parents for at least 2 more weeks. May attempt 2 or more broods in a year with good rains.
Feeding Behavior
The Chihuahuan Meadowlark forages by walking on the ground, taking insects and seeds from the ground and low plants. May probe in the soil with its bill. In winter, may forage in flocks.
Diet
Mostly insects and seeds. The Majority of the Chihuahuan Meadowlark's diet consists of insects, especially in summer, when it eats many grasshoppers, crickets, beetles and their larvae, caterpillars, ants, true bugs, and others; also spiders. Seeds and waste grain make up a significant part of the annual diet.
Nesting
Male Chihuahuan Meadowlarks defend nesting territory by singing. In courtship, male faces female, puffs out chest feathers and points bill straight up to show off black "V," spreads tail widely, and flicks wings; he may even jump in the air in this posture. Male may have more than one mate. Nest: Placed on the ground, in areas with dense grass and other low cover, in a small depression in soil. Nest (probably built by female) is a domed structure with the entrance on the side, made of grass stems interwoven with surrounding growth.
Conservation
Conservation Status
The Chihuahuan Meadowlark is probably much less numerous now than it was historically, owing to the general loss of high-quality grasslands in the arid Southwest.
Climate Threats Facing the Chihuahuan Meadowlark
Choose a temperature scenario below to see which threats will affect this species as warming increases. The same climate change-driven threats that put birds at risk will affect other wildlife and people, too.
