The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

The Western Meadowlark [Sturnella negleckta] with its bright yellow breast is found in many varied habitats, from high desert sage, grasslands, and wetlands, to the shoulders of Mt. Jefferson.

Its flute-like songs can be heard throughout the day.

Nests are built on the ground and covered with a roof of grass and contain five to six white eggs with rust and lavender spots, which are incubated for 13-16 days. The chicks are in the nest for 10-12 days before fledging.

A male usually has two mates and the female does the majority of the young chicks' brooding and maintenance. Insects, seeds, and berries are the mainstays of their diets.

It is the state bird of Oregon, Kansas, Nebraska, Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming.

Meadowlark populations have declined by 40 percent in the last 50 years as a result of pesticide use, habitat loss, and haying during nesting.

A group of Meadowlarks are referred to as a "pod." To view more images of the Western Meadowlark, visit http://abirdsingsbecauseithasasong.com/recent-journeys/.