American State Birds - Click on a bird to learn more
Western Meadowlark
State bird of: Kansas, Nebraska, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon
Description
The western meadowlark is one of the most recognizable birds of the American prairie. It is the state bird of Kansas, Nebraska, Montana, Oregon and North Dakota. The nine-inch meadowlark has a brown back and wings with black markings. Its underparts are largely bright yellow with black spots and a distinctive black “V” across the chest. Many a traveler along the Kansas turnpike will identify the western meadowlark through the intense sun by this black “V”. The meadowlark has white sides and a white face with a dark stripe through the eye and on the cap. Most meadowlarks have a small patch of yellow between the eye and bill. Meadowlarks are identified in flight by large white tail patches. Male and female meadowlarks are identical. The closely related eastern meadowlark is virtually identical to the western meadowlark and cannot be identified by sight where their range overlap in the midwest.
Western meadowlarks build domed nests in which the female lays 3 to 7 white eggs with dark marks.
