Western meadowlark state bird of Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, and Wyoming. Photo by Paul Hurtado / Flickr (use permitted with attribution/share alike).
Official State Bird of Wyoming
Wyoming designated the western meadowlark (Sturnella Neglecta) as official state bird in 1927. All State Birds
A familiar songbird of open country across the western two-thirds of the North American continent, the western meadowlark is a symbol of six states (official state bird of Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, and Wyoming).
Western Meadowlark Facts
In the same family as blackbirds and orioles, western meadowlark adults are 8-11 inches long and have a black and white striped head; a long, pointed bill; yellow cheeks; bright yellow throat; and a distinctive black "V" on the breast. The western meadowlark is often seen perched on fence-posts in grasslands and agricultural areas singing its distinct 7-10 note melody (their flute-like song usually ends with 3 descending notes).
Western meadowlarks forage on the ground and beneath the soil for insects, grain and weed seeds (it's estimated that at least 65-70% of their diet consists of beetles, cutworms, caterpillars, grasshoppers, spiders, sow bugs, and snails). They also nest on the ground - constructing a cup of dried grasses and bark woven into the surrounding vegetation. This nest may be open or have a partial or full grass roof, and sometimes a grass entry tunnel several feet long. The females lay four to six eggs in this domed nest (white speckled with reddish brown).
Western meadowlark predators include hawks, crows, skunks, coyotes, raccoons, and weasels. Western meadowlarks are still abundant, but declining throughout their range; they are a protected non-game species.
