Larks
The male meadowlarks arrive at their breeding grounds a couple of weeks
before the females. They like to perch on fences, poles and wires to
claim and guard their territory. A male's home range is usually about
six or seven acres. If another male invades his territory, he may get
into a fight with the intruder. Fighting meadowlarks will lock their
feet together and peck at each other with their beaks. The western
meadowlark uses its distinctive song and call to claim territory. The
meadowlark's diet is mostly insects like caterpillars and grasshoppers,
although it will sometimes eat seeds. The western meadowlark is a
short-distance migrator. Its breeding range stretches from British
Columbia, northern Michigan, and northwestern Ohio south to Missouri,
central Texas and northern Mexico. The male meadow lark uses display
behaviors to attract a mate. When he finds a female that he wants to
mate with, he points his bill in the air, puffs out his yellow throat
and flaps his wings above his heads. If that doesn't get the female's
attention, he hops up and down. The western meadowlark builds its nest
on the ground. The female finds a depression in the ground, and shapes
it by digging in the dirt with her bill. She lines the depression with
soft grass and makes a roof by pulling grass and plants over the
depression. She then weaves in grass to make a waterproof dome, leaving
enough space for an opening. The female lays between three and seven
eggs. It takes about 12 days for the eggs to hatch. The meadowlark
usually has two broods a year. The male protects the nest by noisily
chasing intruders away.
» Length: 8.5 inches
» Sharply-pointed bill
» Buff and brown head stripes
» Yellow underparts with black "v" on breast
» White flanks with black streaks
» Brown upperparts with black streaks
» Brown tail with white outer tail feathers
» Juvenile and winter plumages somewhat duller
» Frequents open habitats
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