210 BIRDS OF ALABAMA 



MEADOWLARK; FIELD LARK: Stumella magna magna 



(Linnaeus). 



State records. — The northern race of the meadowlark, 

 (magna) occurs as an abundant winter resident in the north- 

 ern part of the State, but just how far south it goes it is im- 

 possible to determine until more specimens are available from 

 various localities. It will probably be found in winter in 

 nearly all sections except the extreme southern counties. 

 E. W. Graves reports it as a common winter visitant on Sand 

 Mountain, near Carpenter. In Dr. Avery's collection are 4 

 specimens of this race, taken at Greensboro, February 21, 

 March 28, and October 18 and 25 ; and the Biological Survey 

 collection contains specimens taken at York, February 27, 

 1912; Uniontown, March 1, 1912; Woodville, March 9, 1915; 

 Ardell, March 28, 1915; and Leighton, April 20, 1914. 



McCormack says of this bird : 



The well known field or meadow lark is one of our most abun- 

 dant winter residents, and a few remain all the year. The bulk 

 of migrants arrive during the first week in Octolier, and from 

 this time until the first week in April every old field and pasture 

 abounds with them.* 



General habits. — The meadowlark, as its name implies, is a 

 bird of the fields and is never found in timber tracts, except 

 those of a very open nature. In the breeding season it is 

 largely confine'd to upland grass fields, but in winter it visits 

 wet marshes and old cotton and corn fields and often follows 

 the plowman to pick up grubs. It is a sociable bird, several 

 pairs usually breeding near together, and in winter it is found 

 in loose flocks, sometimes of considerable size. 



The alarm notes are a sharp dzit and a harsh, metallic 

 chatter ; the song is a clear, mellow whistle of several notes. 



Food habits.-~The meadowlark is one of our most useful 

 birds, feeding chiefly on insects, these forming nearly three- 

 fourths of its food for the year. Says Prof. Beal : 



Of the various insects eaten, crickets and grasshoppers are 

 the most important, constituting 26 per cent of the food of the 

 year and 72 per cent of the food in August. Of the 1,514 



'Leighton (Ala.) News, Vol. 2, No. 18, September 15, 1891. 



