Eastern Meadowlark
Eastern Meadowlark
Sturnella magna
At a Glance
A familiar bird, known by the black 'V' on its chest when it sings from a fencepost, or by the flash of white tail feathers when it flushes from the grass. The clear whistled song of the Eastern Meadowlark can be heard in spring in native meadows and prairies, as well as hayfields, pastures, grassy roadsides, and other open country. In North America, this meadowlark lives only east of the Rockies, but other populations are found in Cuba and from eastern Mexico to northern South America. A similar bird in the southwestern U.S., formerly considered a local race of Eastern Meadowlark, was recognized in 2022 as a distinct species, Chihuahuan Meadowlark.
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
Coasts and Shorelines, Desert and Arid Habitats, Fields, Meadows, and Grasslands, Shrublands, Savannas, and Thickets
Region
Eastern Canada, Florida, Great Lakes, Mid Atlantic, New England, Plains, Southeast, 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
Both sexes — Length: 7.5–10.2 in (19–26 cm); wingspan: 13.8–15.8 in (35–40 cm); weight: 3.2–5.3 oz (90–150 g). A chunky, short-tailed bird with a black “V" on a yellow breast, the Eastern Meadowlark has a streaked brown back and white outer tail feathers. Looks like Western Meadowlark; can be slightly darker, more richly colored, but with less yellow on the face. Best known by voice, 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 short, buzzy dzzhrrt.
Call Pattern
Falling, Flat
Call Type
Buzz, Chirp/Chip, Flute, Trill, Whistle
Habitat
Open fields and pastures, meadows, prairies. Breeds in natural grasslands, meadows, weedy pastures, also in hayfields and sometimes in fields of other crops. Winters in many kinds of natural and cultivated fields. In the Midwest, the Eastern Meadowlark tends to prefer taller and lusher grass than the Western Meadowlark.
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Behavior
Eggs
2-6, sometimes up to 7. White, heavily spotted with brown and purple. Incubation is by female, about 13-14 days.
Young
Both parents feed nestlings (but female does more). Young leave the nest after 10-12 days, when still unable to fly, and are tended by parents for at least 2 more weeks. 2 broods per year.
Feeding Behavior
The Eastern Meadowlark forages by walking on the ground, taking insects and seeds from the ground and from 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 Eastern 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 over one-fourth of the annual diet, and are eaten especially in fall and winter.
Nesting
Male defends nesting territory by singing. In courtship, the male faces the female, puffs out chest feathers, and points the bill straight up to show off the black "V," spreads the tail widely, and flicks the wings; he may even jump in the air in this posture. A 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 (built by female) is a domed structure with the entrance on the side, made of grass stems interwoven with surrounding growth. Usually has narrow trails or "runways" leading to the nest through the grass.
Conservation
Conservation Status
The Eastern Meadowlark probably increased in numbers during the 1700s and 1800s as forests were cleared and turned into farmland. However, populations generally have been declining in recent decades. The decrease in amount and quality of habitat is the most likely cause.
Climate Threats Facing the Eastern 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.
