Eastern Meadowlark Bird Atop Barbed Wire Fence Post - Sturnella Magna Stock Photography

The eastern meadowlark Sturnella magna is a medium-sized blackbird family: Icteridae, very similar in appearance to sister species western meadowlark. It occurs from eastern North America to northern South America, where it is also most widespread in the east. The song of this bird is of pure, melancholy whistles, and thus simpler than the jumbled and flutey song of the western meadowlark. About three-quarters of the eastern meadowlark`s diet is from animal sources like beetles, grasshoppers, and crickets. They also eat grain and seeds.The eastern meadowlark nests on the ground in depressions 1 to 3 inches deep, such as in the hoofprints of cattle, in pastures, meadows, hay fields, and on the edges of marshes. The nests are made of dried grass and plant stems, and are lined with grass lespedezas, pine needles, or horse hair.