_Sturnella magna magna. Case 2, Fig. 23_
A large, quail-like bird which shows white outer
tail-feathers when it flies; if one can obtain a
front view, the yellow underparts and black
breast-crescent are conspicuous. L. 10-3/4.
_Range._ Eastern North America, rare west of the
Mississippi; nesting from North Carolina and
Missouri to Canada; winters from southern New
England and northern Ohio southward. The Southern
Meadowlark (_S. m. argutula_, Case, 4, Fig. 79) is
smaller and darker. It is resident in the south
Atlantic and Gulf States.
Washington, common P.R., less common in winter.
Ossining, tolerably common S.R., Feb. 20-Nov. 27;
a few winter. Cambridge, common S.R., not common
W.V. N. Ohio, abundant S.R., Mch. 5-Nov. 15; a
few winter. Glen Ellyn, common S.R., Jan. 24-Nov.
15; irregular W.V. SE. Minn., common S.R., Mch.
25-Oct. 15; rare W.V.
The Meadowlark is a fifer of the fields, whose high, clear whistle is
one of the most welcome bird songs of early spring. In May, when
nesting, it often sings an ecstatic twittering warble on the wing. The
alarm calls are an unmusical _dzit_ or _yert_ and a string of beady,
metallic notes.
The nest is placed on the ground. The 4-6 eggs are white, speckled with
brown.