Western Meadowlark - Sturnella neglecta
Lewis and Clark overlooked the Western Meadowlark. They considered the species the same as the Eastern Meadowlark. The species name reflects this oversight.
The beak muscles are strong enough to pry apart holes in the soil, vegetation, mud, or bark. The eyes are positioned so the bird can see through the gape of the open beak, which helps with foraging for food. This feeding technique is called "gaping."
The Western Meadowlark is double brooded.
References
Lewis and Clark overlooked the Western Meadowlark. They considered the species the same as the Eastern Meadowlark. The species name reflects this oversight.
The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Alberta. Federation of Alberta Naturalists. 2007.
Baicich PJ, Harrison CJO. Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds. Princeton UP. 2005.
Beadle D, Rising J. Sparrows of the United States and Canada. Princeton UP. 2003.
Fisher C, Acorn J. Birds of Alberta. Lone Pine Publishing. Edmonton. 1998.
Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.
Tudge Colin. The Bird. Crown Publishers. New York. 2008.
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