Chihuahuan Meadowlark Photo Gallery
Breeding adult
Medium-sized songbird with long thin bill, short tail, and long legs. Upperparts are light brown; underparts are yellow. Sides are whitish with thin dark streaking.
© Bradley Hacker 🦜 / Macaulay LibraryArizona, February 03, 2018Nonbreeding adult/immature
In the fall and early winter, new feathers are edged with buff, dampening the intensity of the yellow underparts and black “V.”
© Jack Parlapiano / Macaulay LibraryNew Mexico, December 29, 2019Adult
In flight, the three outermost tail feathers are nearly pure white, and the fourth is mostly white, with limited barring and a small black mark.
© Daniel Irons / Macaulay LibraryArizona, January 09, 2020Breeding adult
Breeding adults have a black “V” on a yellow breast, whitish sides, and light brownish upperparts. A white mustache stripe and cheek, together with a black eyeline and dark crown stripe, create a striking head pattern.
© Janine McCabe / Macaulay LibraryArizona, August 03, 2019Breeding adult
Breeding adults in central Mexico (S. l. auropectalis) are similar to the separate northern population (S. l. lilianae) but have an orangish wash across the breast.
© Luke Seitz / Macaulay LibraryJalisco, February 17, 2021Nonbreeding adult/immature
Nonbreeding adults and immatures show extensive buffy feather edges on the black “V” and yellow breast, contributing to an overall pale appearance.
© Mark Scheel / Macaulay LibraryArizona, November 26, 2021Breeding adult
In Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and northern Mexico, occurs in dry desert grasslands with limited shrubs.
© Dominic Sherony / Macaulay LibraryArizona, March 02, 2010Compare with Similar Species
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Species in This Family
Troupials and Allies(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Icteridae)
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