Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) Julie Gibson
Oakwoods Metro Park, Wayne Co., MI. 5/17/2006© Jerry Jourdan This species sponsored by James Hewitt. (Click to view a comparison of Atlas I to II)
After witnessing a meadowlark collide with a concentrated to the south, central, and east. In MBBA II, breeding occurred in 79% of car, I spent two stressful weeks collecting townships in the SLP, 60% in the NLP, and insects for this voracious eater and driving 20% in the UP. During MBBA I, Eastern across the state twice to transport the bird to a Meadowlarks were noted in 92% of the SLP suitable wildlife rehabilitator. I can vouch for townships, 74% of the NLP and 26% of the UP the strength and tenacity of this species. The townships. The cause of this decrease is not male Eastern Meadowlark can also perform up clear, but it may include diminished to 100 different songs in his repertoire. Eastern reproductive success, natural fluctuations in Meadowlarks grace us with their presence population numbers, and regional changes in throughout the state where suitable habitat land use on breeding or wintering grounds. exists. The species ranges over eastern North
America from the northern Great Lakes states Eastern Meadowlark is a grassland obligate and southern Canada, south to the Gulf Coast, species known to use short-grass, mixed-grass and from Mexico south into South America. and tall-grass prairie. Its preferred habitat Higher densities occur in tall-grass prairie consists of mid-height grassland with a regions of the Great Plains (Lanyon 1995). In moderate amount of forbs, a thick litter layer, Michigan it is an uncommon migrant where few shrubs, areas of patchy bare ground, and grasslands are present and is rare in winter, with some residual standing dead vegetation (Sample a few confirmed records in most years. While and Mossman 1997). The extensive hayfields most are permanent residents throughout much and other grasslands throughout much of the of their range, birds at the northern end of their SLP provide habitat for many of Michigan’s range generally move southward for the winter. Eastern Meadowlarks.
Distribution All the surrounding states and provinces support Overall distribution is similar to that described Eastern Meadowlarks. In Ontario, it occurs in the first atlas (Brewer et al. 1991). The throughout the southern portion of the province, species continues to be a common breeder while largely absent from the Northern Shield throughout much of the LP, except in forested and the Hudson Bay lowlands (Cadman et al. areas. Most observations from the UP were
© 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) Julie Gibson
2007). It is widespread in Wisconsin except in minimum number of pairs detected dropping forested regions to the north (Cutright et al. from 7,802 to 5,810 (MBBA I and II, 2006). Atlas accounts describe Eastern respectively). Moreover, species detections Meadowlark as common and widespread to our declined statewide from 1,232 townships to south throughout Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio, 1,045 (a 15% decrease), while finer detailed with detections in 97%, 100%, and 97% of data are more disturbing. Examined by quarter- priority blocks respectively (Castrale et al. 1998, township, or “block”, Eastern Meadowlark Kleen et al. 2004, Peterjohn and Rice 1991). occupancy dropped from 2,814 to 1,850, a decrease of nearly 45%. The species may be Breeding Biology losing habitat faster than the range is Saunders observed that the first males to arrive contracting. on breeding grounds were young short-distance migrants that preceded older birds coming from Compared to MBBA I, fewer birds were further south (Bent 1958). Females generally detected during MBBA II in Oakland, follow males by roughly two weeks. The Livingston, and Wayne counties, and around female constructs a well-concealed ground nest Saginaw Bay, in addition to other scattered in dense grass, sometimes in a shallow locations throughout the state. Based on depression, and incubates the eggs. Breeding comparisons of the minimum number of pairs phenology data from Michigan are scarce. Nest mapped by township during MBBA I and II, building has been observed as early as 20 April. declines in abundance are most notable in A nest with eggs was reported 11 June in Barry Calhoun, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and Van County and one on 21 June in Muskegon Buren counties. There was also an obvious shift County. Atlas workers reported a nest with in concentration from Mecosta County to young on 21 May in Muskegon County and on neighboring Isabella County. While abundance 02 August in Alpena County. Young remain in has decreased by about 5%, distribution across the nest for 10-12 days and are tended by the the UP has not changed much over the past 20+ female, after which time parents provide post- years. fledgling care for about two weeks. Females may have two broods, and polygamous Conservation Needs relations, possibly involving older males, are not Pointing to declines of roughly 70% over the uncommon. The Eastern Meadowlark is host to past 40 years, the National Audubon Society Brown-headed Cowbirds throughout much of its deemed Eastern Meadowlark one of the top ten breeding range (Lanyon 1995). common birds in decline. It is also a focal species for Partners in Flight and the Upper Abundance and Population Trends Mississippi River and Great Lakes Region Joint (Click to view trends from the BBS) Venture for prioritized conservation actions. While this beloved summer resident can be This species is moderately sensitive to habitat heard throughout Michigan’s prairies, hayfields, fragmentation. Ongoing regional declines are pastures, and fallow lands, BBS data indicate a generally attributed to changes in land use; declining population trend east of the conversion of grasslands and hayfields to Mississippi over the period 1966-2006. cultivated crops, succession of old fields, and Michigan BBS trend estimates for the period suburban sprawl. Severe winter weather can 1990 to 1999 show a significant decline of 5.4% also reduce populations, in addition to drought, with an average of 5.7 birds per route. The which may lead to reduced productivity. period 2000 to 2007 indicates continuing Breeding birds show a preference for hayfields. declines with an average of 3.2 birds per route. Early and frequent mowing of hayfields can Atlas data also support this trend, with the
© 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) Julie Gibson destroy vulnerable nests and young. It is not Peterjohn, B.G., and D.L. Rice. 1991. The surprising that conservation actions should Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas. Ohio Department include continued population monitoring, of Natural Resources. Columbus, OH. protecting large tracts of suitable habitat, Sample, D.W., and M.J. Mossman. 1997. delayed mowing of hayfields, and periodic Managing habitat for grassland birds - a disturbance to limit woody vegetation on CRP guide for Wisconsin. Wisconsin Department and other grassland. of Natural Resources, Madison, WI, PUBL- SS-925-97. 154 pp. Jamestown, ND: Literature Cited Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online.
© 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center