EASTERN MEADOWLARK

Sturnella magna magna

Status: Common regular spring and fall migrant east and central, uncommon west. Common regular breeder southeast, locally common western Sandhills, uncommon elsewhere except rare casual southwest. Rare casual winter visitor southeast.

Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM6952, 2 Mar 1901 Lincoln, Lancaster Co.

Taxonomy: There are 14 recognized subspecies, three of which occur north of Mexico (Gill et al 2022). These are: hoopesi, resident in south Texas, argutula, breeding and wintering from southeast Kansas to southeast Texas east to North Carolina and Florida, and magna, breeding from Minnesota to New Brunswick south to north Texas and Virginia, wintering to south Texas and Florida.

Nebraska birds belong to the northern subspecies magna (AOU 1957; Rapp et al 1958), although the southeastern subspecies argutula breeds as close as southeast Kansas (AOU 1957, Johnston 1965).

It has twice been proposed to split former subspecies lilianae as a full species (AOS 2016, AOS 2022); the 2016 proposal was declined but the 2022 proposal, using new genomic and vocalization analyses was accepted with lilianae‘s English name Chihuahuan Meadowlark (Chesser et al 2022).

Hybridization with Western Meadowlark occurs but thought to be extremely rare; see hybrid meadowlark account HERE.

Spring: Feb 10, 11, 13 <<<>>> summer (south, east), Mar 24, 25, 25 <<<>>> summer (north, west)

Earlier dates north and west are 1 Mar 2022 Valley Co, 15 Mar 2022 Loup Co, 16 Mar 2002 Knox Co, 16 Mar 1996 Cherry Co, and 21 Mar 2012 Lincoln Co.

Earlier dates south and east are discussed in Winter (below).

Arrival occurs as early as mid Feb in the south and east. Groups of singers (earliest dates above) suggest early migrants rather than wintering birds; there are few mid-winter records (see Winter). Seven were vocalizing 13 Feb 1999 at Standing Bear Lake, Douglas Co, one was singing in Otoe Co 13 Feb, 11 were vocalizing in Kearney Co 16 Feb 1996, and four were singing at Branched Oak Lake, Lancaster Co 16 Feb. Most arrive in early Mar.

Arrival in the north and west is about a month later, in late Mar; there are no records Nov-Feb in the north and west (eBird.org, accessed Jan 2024). First arrivals near North Platte, Lincoln Co were eight on 21 Mar 2012, and singles 24 Mar 2011, and 29 Mar 2008. These dates, as well as one at Haigler, Dundy Co 29 Mar 2009 and eBird data (eBird.org, accessed Jan 2024) suggest that migration of westerly Nebraska and southwesterly South Dakota breeders is an extension of movement into the state from the southeast; there is no evidence that Sandhills breeders are migrants from the southwestern US.

• High counts: 45 at Marsh Wren Community Wetlands, Lancaster Co 13 Apr 2019, 42 at Pawnee Lake SRA, Lancaster Co 17 Apr 2020, and 40 in central Nebraska 1 Apr 1996.
• Eastern/Western Meadowlark: 400 in Hall Co 25 Mar 2013, 118 in Lancaster Co 3 Feb 2015, and 105 in Cass Co 24 Mar 2013.

Summer: Eastern Meadowlark abundance and distribution in the Sandhills, and indeed in Nebraska itself, is somewhat confused and unclear because this species occurs locally in areas well away from its core range in the southeast and also because it is usually greatly outnumbered by Western Meadowlarks. Although a specimen was collected near present-day Columbus in 1856-57 (Coues 1874), Bruner et al (1904) stated it was “rare, breeding doubtful” in Nebraska, “possibly nesting in the Lincoln and Omaha areas”. These authors appear to have overlooked the species, however, as it was considered a “common resident”, presumably in the southeast, by Taylor (1888). Whether Eastern Meadowlark was present in the western Sandhills at that time is unknown, although by 1934 it was a “summer resident” nesting in Logan Co (Glandon and Glandon 1934), and by 1950 there were at least isolated breeding locations statewide (Lanyon 1957). It was considered a “common breeder” throughout although “uncommon to the west” by Rapp et al (1958).

Breeding birds are most numerous south of the Platte River in the southeast (Mollhoff 2016), where they occupy pastures, prairie remnants and other grasslands.

Eastern Meadowlarks also breed throughout the western Sandhills, where they are “fairly common” in wet meadows and other low-lying grasslands, often in association with Bobolinks (Rosche 1982). In 1996 a count of 173 was made at Crescent Lake NWR, Garden Co. At the western edges of the range, more Eastern Meadowlarks are present in wetter years (Rosche 1994). Wetter conditions in 2008 in Custer and Lincoln Cos apparently resulted in an increase of this species; Western Meadowlarks are usually the only species present in the area. A BBS survey in Garden Co 20 Jun found a ratio of 10:1 Western to Eastern Meadowlarks.

It is rare in the Panhandle away from the Sandhills (Rosche 1982). In the Panhandle it is restricted to low-lying pastures and meadows associated with river and stream valleys (Lanyon 1956, Rohwer 1972). In the northern Panhandle there are 12 reports May-Jul from Sioux, Dawes, and northern Box Butte Cos (eBird.org, accessed Jan 2024). It was considered “occasional” in summer in Dawes Co (Rosche 1982). Perhaps the westernmost regular breeding site in the Panhandle is Snake Creek Meadows near Kilpatrick Lake, Box Butte Co (Rosche 1994). Apparently a first Scotts Bluff Co record was of one along County Road X 13 and 23 Jun 2022.

Elsewhere in the state it is local as a breeding bird. It is a “rare spring migrant or breeder” in the Rainwater Basin (Jorgensen 2012). It is common in the Platte River Valley at least as far west as Mormon Island Crane Meadows in Hall Co where it was listed as abundant in the summers of 1980-81 (Lingle and Hay 1982). However, the 2003 Hall Co Spring Count had 11 Eastern and 536 Western Meadowlarks, and Lingle (1994) stated that “Over 99% of the meadowlarks in this area [Buffalo, Phelps, Kearney, Hall, Adams, Hamilton, and Clay Cos] are Western Meadowlarks”. Eastern Meadowlark occurs further west in relatively small numbers to Lincoln and Keith Cos (Rosche and Johnsgard 1984, Rosche 1994, Brown and Brown 2001). A regular location is the meadows near the North Platte Airport in Lincoln Co, where 30 were present 21 Apr 2005. Mollhoff (2016) showed the westernmost confirmed breeding record as along the North Platte River in extreme eastern Morrill Co in 1984-89. There is a report at Bridgeport, Morrill Co 13 Jun 2003.

Although it is a fairly common summer resident in a small area of Sandhill “valley meadows” that extend into south-central South Dakota from Cherry Co, Nebraska (Tallman et al 2002), it was not recorded in 1982 by Brogie and Mossman (1983) in the Niobrara Valley Preserve. It is rare in the Niobrara River Valley east of Valentine in Cherry Co and also in and near the Missouri River Valley between Niobrara and Sioux City. There have been about 21 records in this area, seven in 2020 and seven in 2023, and all since 2015, suggesting increasing numbers in the area.

In the Southwest, south of the North Platte and Platte River Valleys and west of Phelps and Harlan Cos, there are only 15 reports May-Jul (eBird.org, accessed Jan 2024); notable were two birds in Hitchcock Co in Conservation Reserve Program brome during a wet year 2 Jul 2014. The only Jun-Jul record for Banner, Kimball, and Cheyenne Cos is one in Kimball Co 26 Jul 2013; one was at Oliver Reservoir, Kimball Co 10 Aug 2021. There are only two Jun-Jul reports for Perkins, Chase, and Dundy Cos, one at Enders Reservoir, Chase Co 10 Jun 2011, and one recorded near Lamar, Chase Co 4 Jul 2019.

There are only five reports of this species for Wyoming mentioned by Faulkner (2010), none of which were well-documented. However, a recent sighting northeast of Laramie was recorded and observed by multiple people (eBird.org).

BBS trend analysis shows the species has declined – 0.92% (95% C.I; -2.21, 0.44) annually across the state from 1966-2019 (Sauer et al 2020).

• Breeding phenology:
  Eggs: 29 Apr- 3 Jul (Mollhoff 2022)
  Nestlings: 28 Jun
  Fledglings: 13 Jun- 27 Jul

Fall: summer <<<>>> Sep 18, 18, 18 (north and west); summer <<<>>> Nov 17, 18, 19 (south and east)

Later dates north and west are 5 Oct 2008 Cherry Co, 8 Oct 2017 Thomas Co, 9 Oct 2013 Cherry Co, and 17 Oct 2014 Crawford, Dawes Co.

Later dates south and east are discussed in Winter (below).

Departure is difficult to detect after singing has ceased; birds are hard to identify except by calls. The few fall dates available away from the south and east suggest fall migration takes place mainly in early Sep; data on eBird (eBird.org, accessed Jan 2024) show that the western Sandhills are essentially vacated by the end of Sep.

• High counts: 50 at Lincoln Saline Wetlands NP, Lancaster Co18 Oct 2023, 30 at Malcolm, Lancaster Co 16 Oct 2023, and 23 at Spring Creek Prairie, Lancaster Co 7 Oct 2023.

Winter: Prior to the winter of 2017-2018, documentation of wintering was lacking, and there were no Nebraska specimens later than 18 Nov, although information from Missouri (Robbins 2018) and Kansas (Thompson et al 2011) suggested that wintering is possible and may occur in extreme southeast Nebraska. There had been one reported in Nuckolls Co 25 Dec 1994. However, observers made efforts to find this species in the southeast beginning during winter 2017-2018, when there was one in Cass Co 18 Dec, and in 2018-2019 these several reports: singles in Lancaster Co 21 and 24 Nov, one singing on the Branched Oak Lake-Seward CBC, in Seward Co 15 Dec, another calling there 21 Jan, one calling and singing at Marsh Wren Community Wetlands, Lancaster Co 4-5 Jan, and two photographed and calling near Davey, Lancaster Co 26 Jan. In winter 2020-2021 one was recorded in Douglas Co 12 Dec, and another photographed at Pawnee Prairie WMA, Pawnee Co 17 Jan. One was in Saunders Co 26 Nov 2021.

There are no records for the north and west Nov-Feb, and only about 17 records for the south and east 20 Nov-9 Feb (eBird.org, accessed Jan 2024).

Eastern Meadowlark was listed as common in winter in Hall Co by Lingle and Hay (1982), but Lingle (1994) later stated that “All wintering birds are presumed to be Western based on call notes”.

There are specimens 10 Nov 1986 Pierce Co (UNSM ZM11032), and 13 Nov 1909 Lincoln, Lancaster Co (UNSM ZM6957).

Images

Abbreviations

BBS: Breeding Bird Survey
CBC: Christmas Bird Count
NP: Nature Park
NWR: National Wildlife Refuge
SRA: State Recreation Area
UNSM: University of Nebraska State Museum
WMA: Wildlife Management Area (State)

Literature Cited

[AOU] American Ornithologists’ Union. 1957. The AOU Check-list of North American birds, 5th ed. Port City Press, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

[AOS] American Ornithological Society. 2016. 2016 Proposals. 2016-C.pdf (americanornithology.org)

[AOS] American Ornithologists’ Union. 2022. AOS Classification Committee – North and Middle America. Treat Sturnella lilianae as a separate species from S. magna (Eastern Meadowlark). Proposal Set 2022-C. 2022-C.pdf (americanornithology.org).

Brogie, M.A., and M.J. Mossman. 1983. Spring and summer birds of the Niobrara Valley Preserve, Nebraska: An annotated checklist. NBR 51: 44-51.

Brown, C.R., and M.B. Brown. 2001. Birds of the Cedar Point Biological Station. Occasional Papers of the Cedar Point Biological Station, No. 1.

Bruner, L., R.H. Wolcott, and M.H. Swenk. 1904. A preliminary review of the birds of Nebraska, with synopses. Klopp and Bartlett, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.

Chesser, R.T., S.M. Billerman, K.J. Burns, C. Cicero, J.L. Dunn, B.E. Hernández-Baños, R.A. Jiménez, A.W. Kratter, N.A. Mason, P.C. Rasmussen, J.V. Remsen, Jr., D.F. Stotz, K. Winker. 2022. Sixty-third supplement to the American Ornithological Society’s Check-list of North American Birds. Ornithology, https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithology/ukac020.

Coues, E. 1874. Birds of the Northwest: A handbook of the ornithology of the region drained by the Missouri River and its tributaries. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., USA.

Faulkner, D.W. 2010. Birds of Wyoming. Roberts and Company, Greenwood Village, Colorado, USA.

Gill, F., D. Donsker, and P. Rasmussen (Eds). 2022. IOC World Bird List (v 12.2). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.12.2.  http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.

Glandon, E.W., and R. Glandon. 1934. Notes on some Logan County birds. NBR 2: 31-36.

Johnston, R.F. 1965. A directory to the birds of Kansas. Miscellaneous Publication No. 41. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History, Lawrence, Kansas, USA.

Jorgensen, J.G. 2012. Birds of the Rainwater Basin, Nebraska. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.

Lanyon, W.E. 1956. Ecological aspects of the sympatric distribution of meadowlarks in the north-central states. Ecology 37: 98-108.

Lanyon, W.E. 1957. The comparative biology of the meadowlarks (Sturnella) in Wisconsin. Cambridge, MA: Publ. Nuttall Ornithological Club, No. 1.

Lingle, G.R. 1994. Birding Crane River: Nebraska’s Platte. Harrier Publishing, Grand Island, Nebraska, USA.

Lingle, G.R., and M.A. Hay. 1982. A checklist of the birds of Mormon Island Crane Meadows. NBR 50: 27-36.

Mollhoff, W.J. 2016. The Second Nebraska Breeding Bird Atlas. Bull. Univ. Nebraska State Museum Vol 29. University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.

Mollhoff, W.J. 2022. Nest records of Nebraska birds. Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Occasional Paper Number 9.

Rapp, W.F. Jr., J.L.C. Rapp, H.E. Baumgarten, and R.A. Moser. 1958. Revised checklist of Nebraska birds. Occasional Papers 5, Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union, Crete, Nebraska, USA.

Robbins, M.B. 2018. The Status and Distribution of Birds in Missouri. University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute, Lawrence, Kansas, USA.

Rohwer, S.A. 1972. A multivariate assessment of interbreeding between the meadowlarks, Sturnella. Systematic Zoology 21: 313-338.

Rosche, R.C. 1982. Birds of northwestern Nebraska and southwestern South Dakota, an annotated checklist. Crawford, NE: Cottonwood Press.

Rosche, R.C. 1994. Birds of the Lake McConaughy area and the North Platte River valley, Nebraska. Published by the author, Chadron, Nebraska, USA.

Rosche, R.C., and P.A. Johnsgard. 1984. Birds of Lake McConaughy and the North Platte River valley, Oshkosh to Keystone. NBR 52: 26-35.

Sauer, J.R., W.A. Link and J.E. Hines. 2020. The North American Breeding Bird Survey – Analysis Results 1966-2019. U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P96A7675, accessed 27 Jul 2023.

Tallman, D.A., Swanson, D.L., and J.S. Palmer. 2002. Birds of South Dakota. Midstates/Quality Quick Print, Aberdeen, South Dakota, USA.

Taylor, W.E. 1888. A catalogue of Nebraska birds arranged according to the Checklist of the American Ornithological Union. Annual Report of the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture for the year 1887. State Journal Company, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.

Thompson, M.C., C.A. Ely, B. Gress, C. Otte, S.T. Patti, D. Seibel, and E.A. Young. 2011. Birds of Kansas. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA.

Recommended Citation

Silcock, W.R., and J.G. Jorgensen. 2024. Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna). In Birds of Nebraska — Online. www.BirdsofNebraska.org

Birds of Nebraska – Online

Updated 15 Mar 2024