Western Meadowlark

Sturnella neglecta

Spectacular songsters, Western Meadowlarks can best be identified by their song and call notes. The call notes are hollow "chucks," and the song is a gurgling, warbling jumble of flute-like notes. Distinguishing this species from the Eastern Meadowlark by sight is difficult but it can be accomplished based on a combination of field marks. Western Meadowlarks often associate with more arid, well-drained grasslands than do Eastern Meadowlarks. However, in Ontario there were no apparent habitat differences between the species. In the southwestern United States, Western Meadowlarks associate with damper sites (Lanyon 1994). Hybrids may infrequently occur where their ranges overlap (Robbins and Easterla 1992; Lanyon 1957 in Terres 1987).

Code Frequency

It was difficult for Atlasers to find nests of grassland birds and Western Meadowlarks presumably bred undetected in most blocks where they were discovered. Sight or song observations accounted for 73 percent of all records documenting their presence, multiple singing males or territoriality. Observers located two nests. Observations of food being delivered to young accounted for most confirmations. For only 24 percent of Western Meadowlark records was breeding confirmed compared with 40 percent for the Eastern Meadowlark.

Distribution

Missouri lies on the southeastern periphery of the breeding range of this widespread western species. Although native prairies and pastures were lacking in northwestern Missouri, Western Meadowlarks were found in a variety of habitats, from cropland and hedgerows to fallow fields. This species' distribution was concentrated in the Western Glaciated Plains Natural Section and decreased toward the east within the Glaciated Plains Natural Division. Scattered observations were noted throughout the Osage Plains Natural Division. The more easterly observations may represent breeders, migrants or misidentifications of Eastern Meadowlarks.

Average Number of Birds / 100 stops

Abundance

Phenology

Nesting activity commenced in mid- to late April. Observations of fledglings on May 9 suggest meadowlarks likely laid Eggs: the last week of April. A late date of food being carried to young coincides with a date suggested by Lanyon(1994).

Notes

Neither of the two nests with eggs were observed to contain Brown-headed Cowbird Eggs:. Ehrlich et al. (1988) list them as an uncommon host.

Breeding Evidence

Reported in 145 (12.0%) of 1,207 blocks

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