Western Meadowlark Sounds

Overview
ID info
Life History
Maps
Sounds

Song
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North Dakota, June 02, 2013Recorded by Wil Hershberger | Macaulay Library
Song
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Saskatchewan, May 05, 2020Recorded by John Patterson | Macaulay Library
Flight song
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South Dakota, May 10, 2012Recorded by Bob McGuire | Macaulay Library
Calls
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Colorado, June 24, 2018Recorded by Chris Wood | Macaulay Library
Calls
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California, March 23, 2012Recorded by Hope Batcheller | Macaulay Library
Calls
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Utah, May 20, 2013Recorded by Bob McGuire | Macaulay Library
Calls
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California, June 08, 1989Recorded by Randolph Little | Macaulay Library
Calls
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Colorado, January 11, 2013Recorded by Nathan Pieplow

Sounds provided by Macaulay Library.
Listen to more sounds of this species from the ML archive.

Songs

Male Western Meadowlarks have a complex, two-phrase “primary” song that begins with 1–6 pure whistles and descends to a series of 1–5 gurgling warbles. Males develop a repertoire of up to a dozen songs, and may switch the songs they sing in response to an intruder. When chasing competing males or responsive females, male Western Meadowlarks give a hurried, excited “flight song” of short-spaced whistles and warbles. Although Western Meadowlarks seldom sing more than 10–12 songs, their eastern counterparts exhibit a much larger repertoire of 50–100 song variations.

Calls

The Western Meadowlark’s most common call is a low, bell-like pluk or chupp which they use when disturbed and during courtship and territorial displays. Female Western Meadowlarks also give a soft rattle during courtship and egg laying, as well as a low intensity tee-tee-tee when building the nest and laying eggs. For their first few weeks after leaving the nest, young birds give a simple, high-pitched location call, which is replaced by a weet note once the birds are independent. Adults use the weet note when migrating.