Western meadowlarks are common in the central and western United States and the birds’ range extends are far north as southern Canada and south into Mexico.

Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

(1999) 2002. Resident to short-distance migrant, although some birds from northern populations migrate more than 600 miles to the southern U.S. Their range extends from central North America to northern Mexico. Western meadowlarks and eastern meadowlarks were once considered the same species, which is where the western meadowlarks scientific name comes from—neglecta, because it was overlooked for so long. Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta. 2000. Overall, it is best for the field observer not to make any assumptions about the presence or absence of either species anywhere in Minnesota.

The Western Meadowlark was a common species during the Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas. He delineated 19 counties where nesting had been confirmed since 1970, including several counties in the east-central region (Anoka, Carver, Hennepin, Le Sueur, and Sherburne) and two counties in southeastern Minnesota (Olmsted and Wabasha). Life Histories of North American Blackbirds, Orioles, Tanagers, and Allies: Order Passeriformes. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Aggressive interagency initiatives, such as the Minnesota Prairie Initiative (Minnesota Prairie Plan Working Group 2011), are important efforts to increase the number of grassland acres that are protected and restored throughout western Minnesota. Janssen, Robert B.

The breeding habitats of western meadowlarks are grasslands, prairies, pastures, and abandoned fields, all of which may be found across western and central North America, as far south as northern Mexico. The northern cardinal, which represents seven states, is the only bird to hold the status of state bird in more states. A regular breeding species and migrant; occasional during the winter months but not present every year. In eastern Oregon, much of the sagebrush and grassland habitat needed by the western meadowlark still exists, and despite some conversion of natural prairies into grazing pastures, the bird has been able to adapt and its numbers are relatively stable. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior. Atlas data were used to generate a model to predict the probability of encountering the Western Meadowlark statewide (Figure 4). Kearney: University of Nebraska at Kearney. 2009). 2011. Identification. Assessed with a medium vulnerability to climate change, Western Meadowlarks may find that grasslands become too arid to support successful breeding populations (North American Bird Conservation Initiative 2010).

Most abundant in the Prairie Parklands and Tallgrass Aspen Parklands Provinces, scattered reports have been documented as far east as central St. Louis County in the northeast and southern Houston County in the southeast (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources 2016a). 2016. observed along roadside counts, with each incremental increase in the percentage of CRP land present (Haroldson et al. Breeding season. Sign up for our monthly Wolves and Wildlife Newsletter! Clearly urbanization was not the sole contributor to the decline in numbers but was coupled with the extensive loss, degradation, and fragmentation of grassland habitat due to more intensive agricultural practices. 2020. eBird Status and Trends, Data Version: 2018; Released: 2020. Hanowski, JoAnn M. 1995. This map depicts the range boundary, defined as the areas where the species is estimated to occur at a rate of 5% or more for at least one week within the breeding season. Data collected by the federal Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) have been used to model population abundance, generating a North American population estimate of 90 million Western Meadowlarks (Rosenberg et al. Laurel, MD: U.S. Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. “Meadowlark Habitat.”, Rotenberry, John T., and Steven T. Knick. Western meadowlarks will occasionally interbreed with eastern meadowlarks where their ranges overlap; however, resulting young appear to have low fertility.[3].

Birds in Minnesota.

Still broadly distributed across the western United States, the meadowlark’s population decline is one of the principal factors that led to the assignment of a Continental Concern Score of 10/20 (Rosenberg et al. 1998. Meadowlark territories generally range in size from 2 to 13 ha, so tracts smaller than 5 ha are less likely to support the species (Helzer and Jelinski 1999). Several years later, Janssen (1987) described it as rare to absent in Lake and Cook Counties and casual to rare in the north-central region of the state. St. Paul: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Ecological and Water Resources. In south-central Minnesota, researchers found a significant increase in the number of meadowlarks (Sturnella spp.) It feeds mostly on bugs, but will also feed on seeds and berries. https://doi.org/10.2173/ebirdst.2018, Certain products may be unavailable due to insufficient data. . The western meadowlark is a critical sensitive species in Oregon, meaning that if immediate action is not taken to preserve this bird and its habitat, a listing as threatened or endangered may be necessary. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

Estimates derived from MNBBA data were somewhat higher at 540,000 breeding adults (95% confidence interval of 470,000 – 639,000). Green, Janet C., and Robert B. Janssen. The western meadowlark has distinctive calls described as watery or flute-like, which distinguish it from the closely related eastern meadowlark. Summary statistics for the Western Meadowlark observations by breeding status category for all blocks and priority blocks (each 5 km x 5 km) surveyed during the Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas (2009-2013). The changes were most pronounced in Minnesota after the early 1980s and are considered the major threats to the species throughout its breeding range (Davis and Lanyon 2008). The Western Meadowlark is a medium blackbird that looks much like the Eastern Meadowlark. The Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas Website was a collaborative project led by Audubon Minnesota and the University of Minnesota, Natural Resources Research Institute. Meadowlarks are often more easily heard than seen, unless you spot a male singing from a fence post. Most meadowlark habitat falls under private ownership. Eckert, Kim R. 2006.

Minneapolis: Minnesota Prairie Plan Working Group. Pardieck, Keith L., David J. Ziolkowski Jr., Mary-Anne R. Hudson, and K. Campbell. Highest breeding densities occur in the Prairie Potholes, Badlands, and Central Mixed Grass Prairie regions (Figure 1).

1990. The loss of grassland habitat due to the expanding growth of the Twin’s Cities outer suburbs was certainly a major factor. Populations in southern Canada and the northern United States are short-distance migrants that winter in the southwestern and south-central United States and northern Mexico; further south, populations are year-round residents. “Breeding Bird Composition and Species Relative Abundance Patterns on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Land in Western Minnesota.” Loon 67: 12–16. 2016. The song of the western meadowlark is emblematic of the West.

The sometimes-spirited debate included a legislator playing the meadowlark's song on his smartphone over the House microphone. http://www.stateofthebirds.org/2010/pdf_files/State of the Birds_FINAL.pdf. Breeding densities of Western Meadowlarks in Minnesota are relatively low compared with the northern and central plains states further west in the core of the species’ breeding range (Figure 1). More detailed assessments of these potential impacts are needed. Resident to medium-distant migrant, traveling mainly in small flocks. It feeds mostly on bugs, but will also feed on seeds and berries. To the east, confirmed nesting reports were available from Faribault and Martin Counties in the south, north to Morrison County. Their upper parts are mostly brown, but also have black streaks.

Their breeding habitat is grasslands and prairie, also pastures and hay fields. Janssen (2000) brought attention to the species’ plight in Minnesota by sharing how the numbers of meadowlarks declined on a BBS route he ran on the southern outskirts of the Twin Cities from 1968 to 2000. On CRP lands in Minnesota, breeding densities averaged 2.8 meadowlarks per 40 ha (Hanowski 1995). “Area Requirements of Grassland Birds: A Regional Perspective.” Auk 118: 24–34.

Indeed, in 2015 the average number of meadowlarks per route in Minnesota was only 4.6 birds (Pardieck et al. Learn more. Their nests are situated on the ground, and are covered with a roof woven from grass.

Overall, the Western Meadowlark’s distribution has changed little since Roberts first described it as having a nearly statewide distribution. These two species were considered to be the same species for some time; the western species, having been overlooked for some time, was given the species name neglecta.

Western Meadowlarks have experienced some of their steepest declines in Minnesota, where populations have decreased an average of 7.51% per year from 1967 to 2015 (Figure 8). Small numbers may overwinter in the north during mild years. East of this line, both species could be present. Nests are built on the ground and covered with a roof made of grass, making them well-camouflaged. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York.

2017. Explore Birds of the World to learn more.