Eastern Meadowlark

Sturnella magna

Rangewide Distribution: Southeastern Canada, south central & eastern United States to South America
Abundance: Common
Breeding Habitat: Fallow fields, prairies & cultivated land
Nest: Grass, lined with fine grass & hair, with a domed canopy of grass & side opening in depression on ground
Eggs: 3-5 white with brown or purple marks
Incubation: 13-15 days
Fledging: 11-12 days

image of Eastern Meadowlark Eastern Meadowlarks are a familiar sight throughout the farmlands of the Midwest. Upland fields, especially native prairies, unmown hayfields, lightly-grazed pastures, golf courses and airports are appropriate habitat (Lanyon 1995). Although they do not require woody vegetation in nesting territories (Peterjohn and Rice 1991), they will occasionally nest in shrubby, overgrown fields. Eastern Meadowlarks will also nest in fallow fields and smaller tracts of grassland. As with many grassland birds, numbers of Eastern Meadowlarks are declining. Wilson (1990) reported an average annual decline in Missouri of 1.7 percent from 1967 through 1989 based on the Breeding Bird Survey.

Code Frequency

Vigorous singers from March through June, Eastern Meadowlarks are extremely easy to detect. Thus, where they do not appear on the map, they likely did not occur. Meadowlarks frequently construct roofed nests on the ground that are difficult to locate, hence few breeding confirmations were obtained. They likely bred in most of the possible and probable breeding locations shown on the map. Although easily identified by song or call, they can be confused with Western Meadowlarks if identification is based solely on sight. However, Atlasers provided documentation indicating they had accurately identified the two species.

Average Number of Eastern Meadowlarks / 100 stops

Average Number of Birds / 100 stops

Distribution

Eastern Meadowlarks were distributed statewide. A small gap in range occurred in the eastern Ozarks, extending through Crawford, Center, Reynolds, Shannon and Washington counties. This extensively-forested region apparently provides fewer nesting sites for Eastern Meadowlarks. Eastern Meadowlarks were found in the extensively row-cropped areas of the Mississippi Lowlands Natural Division although little breeding was confirmed there. Breeding confirmations were greatest in the Osage Plains. The distribution of Eastern Meadowlarks overlapped the range of Western Meadowlarks in northwestern Missouri. The two species may have selected slightly different habitats in the area of overlap although this is not apparent from the map. Lanyon (1956) found that where both occur in the northern plains states, Eastern Meadowlarks select more moist sites.

Abundance

Eastern Meadowlarks were most abundant in the Osage Plains Natural Division. They were less common in the Glaciated Plains, Ozark Border and Ozark natural divisions and least abundant in the Mississippi Lowlands. Robbins and Easterla (1992) suggest that numbers in the Ozark and Mississippi Lowlands natural divisions have increased during the 20th century.

Phenology

Eastern Meadowlarks migrate to Missouri primarily between late February through March (Robbins and Easterla 1992), although Atlasers did not document nest building until late April. Two broods per season are expected (Lanyon 1995). Late June dates for both Eggs: and nestlings may be attributable to second broods or renesting attempts.

Notes

Eastern Meadowlarks were found parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbirds in four of 244 blocks where Atlasers observed nest contents or deliveries of food to fledglings. Friedmann (1963) stated that Eastern Meadowlarks are uncommon cowbirds hosts.

Breeding Phenology
Evidence (# of Records)	MAR	APR			MAY		JUN		JUL	AUG		SEP
NB (10)			4/23						6/30
NE (16)				5/01					6/28
NY (7)						5/25		6/16
FY (221)			4/21								8/20

Breeding Evidence

Reported in 1,130 (93.5%) of 1,207 blocks

	Blocks	% of Blocks
Confirmed	454	40.2%
Probable	489	43.3%
Possible	187	16.5%

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