Eastern Meadowlark or Western Meadowlark ?

Song

Audio by Paul Marvin

There's more to learn about Eastern Meadowlark

Western Meadowlark

Sturnella neglecta

How to recognise a western meadowlark?

General appearance

The western meadowlark is approximately 8 1/2-11 inches (22-28 cm) in size. It is the size of a Robin. Its distinctive features include a black pattern forming a 'V' on its yellow breast, which is partly veiled in fall. The bird also has white outer tail feathers, which are particularly visible upon takeoff and landing. Its wings are rounded in shape and it possesses a rounded, short, square-tipped tail.

Male vs female

There is no significant difference in appearance between the male and female western meadowlark, making it difficult to distinguish between the two genders.

Juvenile

Juvenile western meadowlarks resemble the adult birds but their plumage is generally less vibrant. The juveniles' yellow coloration on the breast area might be slightly muted in comparison to the adults.

Size

7.5 - 9.1 in/3.1 - 4.1 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The Western Meadowlark predominantly occupies natural grasslands, shorter grass in drier fields, and abandoned weedy fields.

Additional range

This bird extends its habitat to include meadows, prairies, rangeland, cultivated fields, and pastures. In winters, it is often found in stubble fields and farmland.

Range Map

What do western meadowlarks like to eat?

Natural diet

The western meadowlark primarily consumes insects and seeds. During the summer months, their diet consists heavily of insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, ants, true bugs, and others, as well as spiders, snails, and sowbugs. In addition to insects, seeds and waste grain make up about one-third of their annual diet, with these being especially significant in the fall and winter months.

Bird feeders

While the western meadowlark is not commonly known to visit bird feeders, they may occasionally consume cracked corn or other seed mixtures that are similar to those found in their natural diet. However, they are more often found foraging for food in open fields and grasslands.

What does a western meadowlark sound like?

The Western Meadowlark vocalizes through a rich, flute-like jumble of gurgling notes, typically descending the scale. This is distinct from the Eastern Meadowlark's series of simple, mournful whistles. Its call pattern is complex, falling, and flat. The type of call it produces can be characterised as a flute or whistle sound.

Call

Audio by Paul Marvin

Song

Audio by Paul Marvin

There's more to learn about Western Meadowlark

Eastern Meadowlark

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Western Meadowlark

Eastern Meadowlark

Sturnella magna

General appearance

The eastern meadowlark is a medium-sized songbird, characterized by its bright yellow underparts and a distinctive black 'V' necklace on its chest. The upperparts are brown with intricate streaks, providing camouflage in grassy habitats. The face features a sharp contrast with a white or pale yellow stripe above the eye and a dark crown. They possess a long, pointed bill.

Male vs female

Males and females have similar plumage, making them difficult to distinguish by appearance alone in the field. However, males are typically slightly larger and possess more vibrant colors. During the breeding season, males' songs are more pronounced, assisting in identification.

Juvenile

Juvenile eastern meadowlarks resemble adults but have duller and more muted colors. The black 'V' on the chest is less defined, and the overall plumage shows more spotting rather than streaking. Juveniles lack the fully-developed song of adults, with more subdued calls.

Size

7.5 - 10.2 in/2.0 - 5.3 oz

There's more to learn about Eastern Meadowlark

Western Meadowlark

Sturnella neglecta

General appearance

The western meadowlark is approximately 8 1/2-11 inches (22-28 cm) in size. It is the size of a Robin. Its distinctive features include a black pattern forming a 'V' on its yellow breast, which is partly veiled in fall. The bird also has white outer tail feathers, which are particularly visible upon takeoff and landing. Its wings are rounded in shape and it possesses a rounded, short, square-tipped tail.

Male vs female

There is no significant difference in appearance between the male and female western meadowlark, making it difficult to distinguish between the two genders.

Juvenile

Juvenile western meadowlarks resemble the adult birds but their plumage is generally less vibrant. The juveniles' yellow coloration on the breast area might be slightly muted in comparison to the adults.

Size

7.5 - 9.1 in/3.1 - 4.1 oz

There's more to learn about Western Meadowlark

How to tell the Eastern Meadowlark from the Western Meadowlark

Visual differences

The Eastern Meadowlark (7.5-10.2 inches) features bright yellow underparts and a distinctive black 'V' necklace. Its upperparts are streaked brown, with a sharp facial contrast via a pale eye stripe and a long, pointed bill. The Western Meadowlark (8.5-11 inches) has a similar 'V' on the breast and yellow underparts, but its face is less contrasting. It sports visible white outer tail feathers upon flight and a rounded, square-tipped tail. Both sexes appear similar, with juveniles having duller plumage across both species.

Key differences and behavior

Eastern and Western Meadowlarks exhibit distinct behavioral and ecological differences. Eastern Meadowlarks prefer taller, lush grasslands and engage in elaborate song-based courtship, with males having multiple mates (often 2-3). They nest in open fields and females craft simple cup-shaped ground nests. Their diet shifts from insects in summer to seeds in winter. Western Meadowlarks inhabit shorter, drier grasslands and during courtship, perform visual displays, using chest feather puffing and wing flicking. They build more architecturally complex nests, sometimes with roofs and entrance tunnels. Their diet remains consistent with insects and seeds, utilizing "gaping" to feed. While both forgo feeders, Western Meadowlarks occasionally eat cracked corn. Eastern Meadowlarks' winter habitats extend to arid regions, while Western Meadowlarks adapt to farmlands. These differences in habitat preference, courtship behavior, nesting, and feeding strategies provide key identification cues in the field.

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