Meadowlarks are grassland birds belonging to genera Sturnella and Leistes.

This group includes seven species of largely insectivorous grassland birds. In all species the male at least has a black or brown back and extensively red or yellow underparts.

List of species

There is disagreement among authorities as to whether Lilian's meadowlark should be ranked as a full species or a subspecies.

thumb|upright|[[Red-breasted meadowlark (Leistes militaris)]]

Red-breasted species, predominantly South American

  • Red-breasted meadowlark (formerly red-breasted blackbird), Leistes militaris
  • White-browed meadowlark (formerly white-browed blackbird), Leistes superciliaris
  • Peruvian meadowlark, Leistes bellicosus
  • Pampas meadowlark, Leistes defilippii
  • Long-tailed meadowlark, Leistes loyca

thumb|upright|[[Eastern meadowlark (Sturnella magna)]]

Yellow-breasted species, predominantly North American

  • Eastern meadowlark, Sturnella magna
  • Chihuahuan meadowlark, Sturnella lilianae
  • Western meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta

Taxonomy

As a group, the meadowlarks have had a volatile taxonomic history. When Carl Linnaeus described the eastern meadowlark (the first of the meadowlarks to be scientifically described) in his 10th edition of Systema Naturae in 1758, he thought it was related to the Old World larks, and so put it in the genus Alauda with them.

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Sources

  • New World Blackbirds by Jaramillo and Burke,

Further reading

  • Sturnella videos, photos and sounds on the Internet Bird Collection