The Western Meadowlark is the state bird of six states — more than any other species — and its rich, gurgling flute-like song is a defining sound of western grasslands. It is nearly identical in appearance to the Eastern Meadowlark but sings a very different, more complex song. The two species rarely hybridize even where their ranges overlap in the Great Plains.
Best time to see a Western Meadowlark
The best time to see a Western Meadowlark is January–June, when about 65% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 25,970 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Western Meadowlark? What bird is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Western Meadowlark sightings near you
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