Exploring Nature: M
eadowlarks
I recently spent some time around Shiner, Texas, not visiting the brewery there, but looking at fat little birds running around in an open field.
The birds were unique in that their name contains the name of another bird. They were meadowlarks. Larks are a particular bird species and the sky lark is celebrated in Europe.
The birds I spotted were eastern meadowlarks. The western variety is found mostly in the Panhandle and northern areas of the state. The western species is a very popular bird, serving the states of Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon and Wyoming as the official state bird.
The eastern meadowlark is a good-looking bird with a winning personality. It likes to join in large flocks. And it is a talented singer with a clear, whistled song that is sometimes written as “spring is here.” It also has a buzzy call note.
Eastern meadowlarks range from southeastern Canada through the eastern half of the U.S. and on through the tropics to Brazil. They are also a year-round resident of the eastern part of Texas, including our area.
The meadowlark is close kin to the sky lark found in Europe, but is not quite as melodic as the European version. However, the few notes the eastern bird produces are certainly quite lovely and do the bird proud for its musical prowess.
Both eastern and western meadowlarks look alike and are best distinguished by their vocalizations. Stripes adorn the head and in flight, white outer feathers flash in the short, stubby tail. The birds also have a black v-shaped breast band and yellow underparts.
Eastern meadowlarks fly south from the northern parts of their range in the winter, so there is a chance you might see flocks of these birds as colder weather arrives and they roam across most of Texas. Keep an eye out for this handsome little bird — it’s an avian delight.
Eastern meadowlarks are a yearround resident of East and Central Texas.
Graphic from Metro Creative
