Eastern Meadowlark Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesEastern Meadowlark
Breeding adult (Eastern)
Chunky, medium-sized songbird with a short tail, and a long, spear-shaped bill. Breeding birds are bright yellow below with a black V on the chest.
© Doris Brookens / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, March 26, 2017Nonbreeding adult/immature (Eastern)
Chunky, flat-headed grassland bird with a long, pointed bill. Nonbreeding birds are paler yellow below.
© Ed McAskill / Macaulay LibraryOntario, February 04, 2021Breeding adult (Eastern)
Males sing a flutelike whistle in open areas, usually from an exposed perch.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryMissouri, May 01, 1999Not all videos have sound
Adult (Eastern)
Forages for insects such as grasshoppers and caterpillars or seeds by probing ground with their shear-shaped bill.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryTexas, March 01, 2002Not all videos have sound
Adult (Eastern)
Heavy streaking on their backs help Eastern Meadowlarks to hide from predators when foraging or walking on the ground.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryTexas, March 01, 2002Not all videos have sound
Habitat
Found in farm fields, grasslands, and wet fields.
© Daniel Jauvin / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, April 13, 2018Breeding adult (Eastern)
Preens and stretches frequently in the morning or following incubation.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryMissouri, May 01, 1999Not all videos have sound
Similar SpeciesWestern Meadowlark
Breeding adult
Westerns Meadowlarks have a yellow mustache stripe while Easterns have a white mustache.
© Greg Gillson / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, October 30, 2016Similar SpeciesWestern Meadowlark
Breeding adult
Western Meadowlarks have less white on the outer tail feathers than Easterns, but this difference can be hard to judge.
© Susan Disher / Macaulay LibraryNorth Dakota, June 15, 2014Similar SpeciesBobolink
Female/nonbreeding male
Female and nonbreeding Bobolinks are smaller and slimmer, with much shorter bills and more uniform buff coloring than Eastern Meadowlarks.
© Juan D Astorga / Macaulay LibraryAlajuela, October 18, 2016Similar SpeciesSavannah Sparrow
Adult (Savannah)
Savannah Sparrows are much smaller with a shorter bill and whitish, not yellow, underparts unlike the large and long-billed Eastern Meadowlark.
© Don Blecha / Macaulay LibraryIllinois, April 23, 2017Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
Compare with Similar Species
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Species in This Family
Troupials and Allies(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Icteridae)
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