The Western Meadowlark 



No. 21 



Western Meadowlark 



A. 0. U. No. 501. i. Sturnella neglecta Audubon. 



Synonyms. — Field Lark. Old-Field Lark. Medlark. Medlar (poetical). 

 Mudlark (corruption). 



Description. — Adult male: General color of upperparts brownish black, modi- 

 fied by much tawny and buffy-gray edgings of the feathers, which throw the black 

 into stripes and bars with suggestion of herring-bone pattern; the tawny heaviest on 

 secondaries and upper tail-feathers, where taking the form of partial bands; a median 

 crown-stripe and posterior portion of superciliary sordid white or buffy; anterior 

 portion of superciliary, lower cheeks, chin, upper throat, breast (broadly), middle 

 belly, and edge of wing, rich yellow (lemon-chrome, rarely strontian yellow); a large 

 black crescent on upper breast; sides and flanks black-streaked, and spotted with pale 

 brown on a buffy or whitish ground. Bill variegated, — tawny, black, and white. 

 Female: Like male, but smaller and paler, with some substitutions of brown for black 

 in streaking; black of jugulum veiled by grayish tips of feathers; yellow of breast, etc., 

 duller. The plumage of both sexes is duller and more blended in fall and winter, the 

 normal colors being everywhere restrained (save on abdomen) by heavy buffy overlay. 

 Immature birds resemble parents, but are grayer, with (pale) yellow more confined, 

 and they lack the jugular crescent. Length of adult male 254-279.4 (10.00-11.00) ; 

 wing 123.2 (4.85); tail 76.2 (3.00); bill 33 (1.30); tarsus 37.1 (1.46). Female smaller. 



Recognition Marks. — Robin size; yellow breast with black collar distinctive; 

 general streaky appearance above; yellow on lower portion of cheek as distinguished 

 from the eastern Meadowlark {Sturnella magna). 



Nesting. — Nest: on the ground, chiefly in meadows or pastures, in thick grass 

 or weeds; a slight depression, lined (carefully or not) and usually overarched with dried 

 grasses. Eggs: 4 or 5, rarely 6, 7 of record ; white, speckled sparingly or very sparingly 

 (much more so than in 5. magna) with chocolate (often "self-toned," or diluted, to 

 vinaceous russet, or "veiled" to vinaceous gray); very variable in shape, — elliptical 

 ovate to almost round. Av. size 28.3 x 20.6 (1.12 x .81). Season: April to June; 

 two broods. 



General Range. — Western North America, breeding from the southern provinces 

 of Canada south to southern California, northern Mexico, and central Texas, east to 

 central Iowa, Missouri, etc., retiring in winter from northeastern quarter of range and 

 irregularly elsewhere, and passing south through Lower California and Mexico to 

 Jalisco and Guanajuato. Casual in several states of the "Old Northwest." 



Distribution in California. — Resident and of general distribution throughout 

 the State, save arid portions of the desert, broken mountain sections, and the dense 

 forests. Breeds from Lower Sonoran (Colorado Desert, at Indio, Apr. 27, 1917; Fish 

 Springs, Apr. 28, 1917) to Lower Boreal (or uppermost Transitional "islands" at Boreal 

 levels), e. g., the Cottonwood Lakes in Inyo County, alt., 11,000 ft. The species 

 retires irregularly in winter to lower levels, invades the desert and (probably) suffers 

 inundation by northern visitors. Found also upon all the Santa Barbara Islands, save, 

 possibly, San Nicolas. 



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