western meadowlark

Meadowlark posing

In fresh plumage the black breast marking may be obscured by pale feather fringing as seen here. Not actually a lark, meadowlarks are New World blackbirds (Icterids). The scientific name (S. neglecta) was provided by J.J. Audubon who noted how neglected the species had been, perhaps because of...

This is a composite. The intent is to show the front and back of the bird, because of the dramatic difference in the plumage, and coloring. This is not an easy bird to image. It is best in the early morning hours, as that is the time that they find a high perch and sing. However, they do not...

From Chimney Rock I drove across the point to the lighthouse. At the intersection where the two side routes diverge from the road along the point as a whole I startled a flock of Western Meadowlarks that had been feeding on the roadside. They flew past a clump of iceplant and landed on a steep...

Western Meadowlark @ Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

One more that stayed pretty well hidden much of the time. There were both Western and Eastern Meadowlarks about. Probably thousands. The most I managed to count in one spot was about 30, but that's partly because I could only see them when they flew up or turned their bright yellow breasts...

This vacation to Colorado proved to be a success for me seeing different types of birds. This is a first for me...a meadowlark! How beautiful are it's colors and markings.

I was lucky enough to see this recently on a trip to the Western USA

I was driving up the driveway of our community nature center and this fellow flew in, I saw him land beside the road and hoped he would sit there for me. I was happy that he did and I managed a few images before he was gone. I did not realize until after, his beak was full of food for the young...

Youngster.

These birds are profuse in the reserve but often too far away for a good photo. To paraphrase an old movie, "The hills are alive with the sound of meadowlarks".

It was a very windy day. Was about to head home when the missus spied this little Meadowlark.

Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) The state bird of some six states. No subspecies are recognized. The most reliable difference between the Western and Eastern is their calls. The visible characteristic shown here is the yellow malar mark. Photographed outside of LaMesa, Dawson County...

I managed to sneak a bit closer to this one. Maybe one day I'll get a really good shot of one.

This Western meadowlark sat for some time on a visually dramatic barbed wire fence - the same one the sparrow in my next shot is defying by flying through. I crept slowly closer and closer and got close enough for this at least identifiable shot, when another trail user sped past me on a bike...

He was posing for me till I went to actually take the picture; still turned out nice enough I think. I believe it's more likely to be a Western than an Eastern due to Geography, but I don't honestly know for sure!

Is the bird's name right?