Every bird watcher and nature observer has his or her "lists." Here are mine for Birds, Insects, Mammals, Plants, Reptiles, and Crustaceans, complete with pull down menus.
BIRDS
Categorized by genus/species, placed chronologically by common name
American Coot
American Crow
American Flamingo*
American Goldfinch
American Kestrel
American Robin
American Tree Sparrow
American White Pelican
Bald Eagle
Baltimore Oriole
Barn Swallow
Belted Kingfisher
Black-Capped Chickadee
Black-Headed Gull*
Black Vulture*
Blue Jay
Blue-Winged Teal
Bobwhite
Broad-Winged Hawk
Brown Creeper
Brown-Headed Cowbird
Brown Thrasher
Bufflehead
Canada Goose
Canvasback
Cedar Waxwing
Chipping Sparrow
Common Grackle
Common Goldeneye
Common Pochard*
Common Redpoll
Cooper's Hawk
Dark-Eyed Junco
Double-Crested Cormorant
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Goldfinch - See American Goldfinch
Eastern Kingbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Towhee
Eurasian Coot*
European Starling
Fox Sparrow
Golden-Crowned Kinglet
Gray Catbird
Graylag Goose
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Greater Flamingo*
Hairy Woodpecker
Harlequin Duck
Hermit Thrush
Herring Gull
Horned Lark
House Finch
House Sparrow
House Wren
Indigo Bunting
Killdeer
Lesser Scaup
Lincoln's Sparrow
Mallard (Domestic)
Mallard (Wild)
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Northern Flicker
Northern Rough-Winged Swallow
Northern Shoveler
Orange-Crowned Warbler
Palm Warbler
Red-Bellied Woodpecker
Red-Breasted Nuthatch
Red-Headed Woodpecker
Red-Tailed Hawk
Red-Winged Blackbird
Ring-Billed Gull
Ring-Necked Duck
Rock Pigeon
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet
Scarlet Tanager
Solitary Sandpiper
Song Sparrow
Spotted Sandpiper
Swamp Sparrow
Tufted Duck*
Tufted Titmouse
Turkey Vulture
White-Breasted Nuthatch
White-Crowned Sparrow
White-Throated Sparrow
Wild Turkey
Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker
Yellow-Rumped Warbler
INSECTS, ARACHNIDS, MYRIAPODS & GASTROPODS
Categorized by family, placed chronologically by common name
Eastern Meadowlark - Sturnella magna - also known as Sturnelle des prés (French), Triguera común (Spanish).
This week’s theme for Photo Hunt is “music.” Well, of all the birds that are common here in Eastern Iowa, the song of the Eastern Meadowlark is definitely my favorite. It is absolutely “music” to my ears whenever I hear it out in the fields. I also have an Audubon clock and the Eastern Meadowlark is the 6 o’clock song. Thus, I wake up to this song every morning!
If you haven’t heard the Eastern Meadowlark, follow this link to the Cornell Ornithology page and click “listen to the songs of this species.”
And, as an FYI to those who may not be familiar with the Eastern Meadowlark: Both males and females look similar, identified by the striking yellow chest with the black ‘V’. Very similar to the Western Meadowlark. The Eastern Meadowlark is listed as a year-round visitor to the southeastern part of the Midwest, but I’ve only seen them in the summer.
Taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on July 8, 2007 in Maysville, Iowa.
3 Responses to “Photo Hunt - Music - Eastern Meadowlark”
1
Keith F. Held Says:
I haven’t seen or heard a Meadowlark in years and wonder just how rare they are in Iowa. I live in Delaware county and hope you have some idea of how to find some and how to attract them. I want to put in a micro native grass praire this spring and wonder if this will help. It will only be about a half acre or so.
Keith F. Held
2981 - 210th St
Earlville, Iowa 52041
Keith - I’ve never made an effort to attract meadowlarks to my yard, but I never have a problem seeing them by simply driving out a bit north of the city. They are all over the country farm roads (on Stop Signs, etc.), and are sitting in any unkempt grassy field, usually singing (try the fallow scruffy areas around farm fields, or protected non-farm areas that are not covered in trees). A few years ago when I lived in an apartment, the areas that had been cleared for new development but had not begun said development were full of meadowlarks. They are found in all of Iowa all-year round, so you should have no problem finding plenty of them in the summer if you go looking for them.
Based on my experience in finding meadowlarks, I would suspect that you would be able to attract them on a one-half-acre parcel of land. They love the grass prairie, for sure. I do not know if a half acre is too small, but I would not think so, at least to attract a few meadowlarks. I would recommend researching meadowlarks to see if any other birds compete with them for habitat and see if there is any way to keep those competitors out, bearing in mind that it is illegal to tamper with the nest of certain species.
Good luck!
February 17th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
3
Keith F. Held Says:
Moe:
Thanks for the reply and the encouraging words that the Meadowlark is still around in abundant numbers. I live in Delaware county which is a corn/soybean area with very little grass and pasture lands. I suspect this is why they are rarely seen in my area. Maybe this summer I will take a drive through the country and keep my eyes open in hopes of spotting one. Again Thanks.
March 6th, 2009 at 10:52 am
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This blog is about: Iowa, Illinois, Midwest, United States, nature, wildlife, animals, birds, ornithology, insects, bugs, entomology, Davenport, Bettendorf, Rock Island, Moline, Quad, City, Cities
I haven’t seen or heard a Meadowlark in years and wonder just how rare they are in Iowa. I live in Delaware county and hope you have some idea of how to find some and how to attract them. I want to put in a micro native grass praire this spring and wonder if this will help. It will only be about a half acre or so.
Keith F. Held
February 16th, 2009 at 5:52 pm2981 - 210th St
Earlville, Iowa 52041
Keith - I’ve never made an effort to attract meadowlarks to my yard, but I never have a problem seeing them by simply driving out a bit north of the city. They are all over the country farm roads (on Stop Signs, etc.), and are sitting in any unkempt grassy field, usually singing (try the fallow scruffy areas around farm fields, or protected non-farm areas that are not covered in trees). A few years ago when I lived in an apartment, the areas that had been cleared for new development but had not begun said development were full of meadowlarks. They are found in all of Iowa all-year round, so you should have no problem finding plenty of them in the summer if you go looking for them.
Based on my experience in finding meadowlarks, I would suspect that you would be able to attract them on a one-half-acre parcel of land. They love the grass prairie, for sure. I do not know if a half acre is too small, but I would not think so, at least to attract a few meadowlarks. I would recommend researching meadowlarks to see if any other birds compete with them for habitat and see if there is any way to keep those competitors out, bearing in mind that it is illegal to tamper with the nest of certain species.
Good luck!
February 17th, 2009 at 4:14 pmMoe:
Thanks for the reply and the encouraging words that the Meadowlark is still around in abundant numbers. I live in Delaware county which is a corn/soybean area with very little grass and pasture lands. I suspect this is why they are rarely seen in my area. Maybe this summer I will take a drive through the country and keep my eyes open in hopes of spotting one. Again Thanks.
March 6th, 2009 at 10:52 am