Re: [cobirds] Is the Boulder Co. meadowlark a Lilian's meadowlark?

Hi Ted,

I think the Teller Farm Eastern Meadowlark is a fine old Sturnella magna magna ("Eastern" Eastern). The song is high pitched (averaging around 4 kHz vs. 3-3.5 on Lillian's), the thing has midnight black head stripes and kerchief, and the view of the tail feathers that we get in your video taken from behind the bird (dorsal surface of tail) shows dark webs on the two inner tail feathers that should be all white on Lillian's. 

Everyone can brush up on the audible differences between the songs at Nathan Pieplow's blog here: http://earbirding.com/blog/archives/29

A checklist with some tracks of what I IDed as a Lillian's on Gunbarrel Hill, Boulder County, in 2018. I think the song stands out as being quite distinct from the "king of the earth" song of nominate Easterns: https://ebird.org/checklist/S46522659

Then there was this one that I found back in June 2013: https://ebird.org/checklist/S14388107

I'll be adding the videos mentioned in the comments to the checklist here shortly, but it might take them a while to process. The skinny is that it is a S. magna magna that sings a high-pitched Eastern song, but had no problem switching to a bubbly Western Meadowlark song when it wanted. The clincher from the ID standpoint was that it called like an Eastern. As Nathan Pieplow might tell you, meadowlarks can learn each others' songs, but the calls are innate. 

One more anecdote that I have observed on the Teller Farm Eastern. It's in an irrigated hay field. It's the kind of place one might expect to observe a S. magna magna back east. It's far from the dry grasslands inhabited by Lillian's. The Lillian's on Gunbarrel Hill was in a weedy patch of pasture grasses and thistles amongst a prairie dog colony. Good for Westerns and Lillian's. You may note a distinct grass in the 2013 Eastern videos- that's New Mexican Feather Grass. In good years it produces a distinct tall structure that can be seen from miles away. I think that's what drew it into that area among the matrix of short-stature mixed-grass prairie in the surrounding landscape. 

Christian Nunes

Boulder, CO

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From: cobirds@googlegroups.com <cobirds@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Ted Floyd <tedfloyd73@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, June 26, 2020 2:00 PM
To: Colorado Birds <cobirds@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [cobirds] Is the Boulder Co. meadowlark a Lilian's meadowlark?

 

Hey, all.

Hannah Floyd and I caught up yesterday evening, Thurs., June 25, with the eastern meadowlark that's been summering at Teller Farms, Boulder County. Conditions were trying, with a steady west wind (a dry squall was passing), eccentric lighting, and the various noises associated with that infernal ditch. Nevertheless, we succeeded in obtaining audio, video, and photos of the bird.

Audio:

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/245783731

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/245784621

Video:

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/245786061

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/245787041

Photos:

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/245787831

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/245787841

Based on various details of plumage and song, I wonder if this meadowlark is a Lilian's meadowlark, Sturnella magna lilianae (=S. lilianae, a full species, by some authorities).

Any thoughts on that?

And here's a thought we'll all agree on: Whatever it is, the bird sings a bright, beautiful song! At the exact same bend in the trail as the meadowlark, listen for Dickcissels and Bobolinks. They're there with the meadowlark--and less taxonomically vexing.

Ted Floyd
Lafayette, Boulder County

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