Long-tailed Meadowlark
Sturnella loyca
Silhouette: Matt Wilkins · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyIcteridae (New World Blackbirds and Orioles)
- GenusSturnella (Yellow-breasted Meadowlarks)
- SpeciesSturnella loyca (Long-tailed Meadowlark)
About the Long-tailed Meadowlark
The long-tailed meadowlark (Leistes loyca) is a passerine bird in the family Icteridae, the oropendolas, New World orioles, and New World blackbirds. It is found in Argentina, Chile, and the Falkland Islands. The long-tailed meadowlark has a complicated taxonomic history. It was formally described in 1782 with the binomial Sturnus Loyca [sic]. In the 1800s it was assigned to genus Sturnella, and for a time it and two other species were separated in genus Pezites. This genus was later again merged into Sturnella. In 2016 BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World assigned it to its current genus Leistes that had been erected in 1825. By 2019 the IOC, the Clements taxonomy, and the South American Classification Committee had also made the reassignment.
The long-tailed meadowlark has these four subspecies: L. l. loyca (Molina, 1782) L. l. catamarcanus (Zotta, 1937) L. l. obscurus (Nores & Yzurieta, 1979) L. l. falklandicus (Leverkühn, 1889) Long-tailed meadowlark males average 27 cm (11 in) long. Males weigh an average of 112 g (4.0 oz) and females 97 g (3.4 oz). Adult males of the nominate subspecies L. l. loyca have a... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Long-tailed Meadowlark in Península Valdés
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Península Valdés
Shiny Cowbird
Molothrus bonariensis
Grayish Baywing
Agelaioides badius
Yellow-winged Blackbird
Agelasticus thilius
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Southern Martin
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Barn Swallow
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Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Península Valdés | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 2 | Torres del Paine National Park | 🇨🇱 Chile | |
| 3 | Nahuel Huapi National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 4 | Tierra del Fuego National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 5 | Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park | 🇨🇱 Chile |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Long-tailed Meadowlark in Península Valdés?
About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Long-tailed Meadowlark sighting in Península Valdés, based on 335 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Long-tailed Meadowlark in Península Valdés?
November has the highest sighting rate for Long-tailed Meadowlark in Península Valdés in our monthly data.