Eastern Meadowlark
Sturnella magna
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyIcteridae (New World Blackbirds and Orioles)
- GenusSturnella (Yellow-breasted Meadowlarks)
- SpeciesSturnella magna (Eastern Meadowlark)
About the Eastern Meadowlark
The eastern meadowlark (Sturnella magna) is a medium-sized icterid bird, very similar in appearance to its sister species, the western meadowlark. It occurs from eastern North America to northern South America, where it is also most widespread in the east. The Chihuahuan meadowlark was formerly considered to be conspecific with the eastern meadowlark.
The eastern meadowlark was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae. He placed it with the larks and pipits in the genus Alauda and adopted the binomial name Alauda magna. Linnaeus based his description on the "large lark" that had been described and illustrated in 1729–1732 by the English naturalist Mark Catesby. Catesby also used the Latin Alauda magna but as his book predates the introduction of the binomial system, he is not acknowledged as the authority. Catesby reported that "they inhabit Carolina, Virginia and most of the Northern continent of America." Confusingly, Linnaeus specified the habitat as "America, Africa". The type location was restricted to South Carolina by the American Ornithologist's Union in 1931. The eastern meadowlark is now placed... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Eastern Meadowlark in Henri Pittier National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Henri Pittier National Park
Red-breasted Blackbird
Sturnella militaris
Crested Oropendola
Psarocolius decumanus
Russet-backed Oropendola
Psarocolius angustifrons
Carib Grackle
Quiscalus lugubris
Yellow Oriole
Icterus nigrogularis
Yellow-rumped Cacique
Cacicus cela
Shiny Cowbird
Molothrus bonariensis
Oriole Blackbird
Gymnomystax mexicanus
Yellow-backed Oriole
Icterus chrysater
Yellow-hooded Blackbird
Chrysomus icterocephalus
Giant Cowbird
Molothrus oryzivorus
Orange-crowned Oriole
Icterus auricapillus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.