Western Bird Guide: Birds of the Rockies and West to the Pacific

by Charles K. Reed

WESTERN MEADOWLARK.

501.1. Sturnella neglecta. 9 inches.

This variety is somewhat paler than the eastern bird. In habits it is the same. The nests and eggs cannot be separated from the eastern. There seems to be one great distinguishing quality between the two, and that is in their song or notes. The first one that I had the pleasure of hearing was in Oregon, and my first thought was of our eastern Bobolink, but on seeing the bird in flight, I at once knew that it was a new song, sung by our eastern Meadowlark in appearance. They feed on insect life, beetles, etc. They lay from four to seven eggs, spotted with shades of brown (1.10 × .80).