Western Meadowlark in Rice County
2022-05-24

Uncommon in Rice County in the Spring season

I was surprised to find three Western Meadowlarks singing and hanging together at the south edge of Koester Prairie. I don't think I've had Westerns at Koester before, though Easterns are regulars there. Simultaneously, I could an Eastern Meadowlark singing to the northeast, in the area where I usually find them. This bird has the low contrast head pattern that Sibley specifies for the Western, but a mostly white malar, which he points to on the Eastern. Regardless, it was repeatedly singing the Western's song.

Gerald Hoekstra