Chihuahuan Meadowlark Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesChihuahuan Meadowlark
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, 2010Similar SpeciesWestern Meadowlark
The best way to identify meadowlarks is by voice. In breeding plumage, Western Meadowlarks have a yellow mustache stripe and darker face (both white in Chihuahuan Meadowlarks).
© Jack Bushong / Macaulay LibraryColorado, May 18, 2019Similar SpeciesWestern Meadowlark
Immature and nonbreeding meadowlarks are especially difficult to identify. Often, silent perched birds are best left unidentified to species.
© Eric Ellingson / Macaulay LibraryWashington, November 18, 2022Similar SpeciesWestern Meadowlark
In flight, Western Meadowlarks show less white in the outer tail feathers than Chihuahuan Meadowlarks (which have four outer four tail feathers that are mostly or entirely white).
© Sam Eberhard / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, March 14, 2022Similar SpeciesEastern Meadowlark
The best way to identify meadowlarks is by voice. In breeding plumage, Eastern Meadowlarks have darker upperparts and show stronger black spotting on more limited whitish sides.
© Nathan Hood / Macaulay LibraryOntario, April 17, 2021Similar SpeciesEastern Meadowlark
Immature and nonbreeding meadowlarks are especially difficult to identify. Eastern Meadowlarks are darker overall than Chihuahuan Meadowlarks, but “meadowlark sp.” is often a good choice for silent, perched birds.
© Scott Heppel / Macaulay LibraryTennessee, November 24, 2020Similar SpeciesEastern Meadowlark
In flight, Eastern Meadowlarks show less white in the outer tail feathers than Chihuahuan Meadowlarks (which have four outer four tail feathers that are mostly or entirely white).
© Brad Imhoff / Macaulay LibraryOhio, June 11, 2020Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Troupials and Allies(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Icteridae)
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