North Dakota State Bird: Western Meadowlark
Fact-checked • Updated January 15, 2025
North Dakota State Bird – Western Meadowlark
North Dakota adopted the Western Meadowlark as the official state bird in 1947. Mrs. Caroline A. Farley Holton of the Flickertail Garden Club promoted the idea. Students in 1944 selected the species in a statewide vote. Several states share this choice. Meadow birds remain common across open country.
Why North Dakota Chose This Bird
Meadowlarks sang from fence posts in every county. Flute-like warbles carried across highways, hay fields, and native prairie. Males perched on barbed wire defending territory. Open grassland amplified their songs across miles of farmland.
Mrs. Caroline A. Farley Holton proposed the designation in 1944. She belonged to the Flickertail Garden Club of Fargo. Schoolchildren voted that year. The meadowlark defeated the bobolink, goldfinch, and mourning dove.
Why did meadowlarks win? Song quality impressed voters. Farmers heard them daily while working fields. Year-round residents, they stayed through winter instead of migrating south like most prairie birds. Grassland covered most of North Dakota, and meadowlarks adapted well to agricultural land.
Legislative History
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Schoolchildren Vote
Schoolchildren participated in selecting North Dakota's state bird during 1944. Mrs. Caroline A. Farley Holton of the Flickertail Garden Club in Fargo organized the campaign. Students cast ballots for their preferred species, and the Western Meadowlark received the most votes. The bobolink, goldfinch, and mourning dove competed for the designation but did not match the meadowlark's popularity.
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Legislative Adoption
The North Dakota legislature made the designation official on March 22, 1947. Lawmakers referred to the species simply as the meadowlark in the original legislation, though the Western Meadowlark was clearly the intended species. North Dakota became the sixth state to adopt this bird. Nebraska led the way in 1929, followed by Wyoming and Oregon in 1927, Montana in 1931, and Kansas in 1937.
What This Bird Represents
Prairie Heritage
The meadowlark represents North Dakota's grassland identity. Listen to one sing at dawn from a fence post—that sound defined prairie life for generations of farmers and ranchers. The species thrived alongside agricultural development, adapting to hay fields, pastures, and crop margins as native prairie disappeared. Meadow larks became honorary residents of working landscapes.
Agricultural Connection
Farmers valued meadowlarks for pest control. Watch one forage through a wheat field—beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and other insects make up 65-70% of their diet during breeding season. A single bird consumes up to 150 grasshoppers weekly while nesting. This appetite for crop pests made meadowlarks welcome neighbors in agricultural areas across the state.
Musical Tradition
The song carries meaning beyond simple identification. Some claim the five-note musical phrase in the song America the Beautiful drew inspiration from meadowlark vocalizations. Whether accurate or not, residents associated the flute-like warble with open spaces, freedom, and natural beauty. That descending gurgle at the end became synonymous with prairie soundscapes.
Physical Characteristics
Size and Build
Western Meadowlarks measure 6.3 to 10.2 inches long. Weight ranges from 3.1 to 4.1 ounces. Wingspan reaches 16 inches tip to tip. The body appears chunky with a flat head, round shoulders, and short neck. Size comparison? Think robin-sized but stockier. Males average slightly larger than females.
Coloration
Bright yellow underparts catch attention first. A black V-shaped band crosses the yellow breast—the species trademark. Brown streaking covers the back and wings with buff-colored edges creating intricate patterns. The head shows alternating light brown and black stripes. White outer tail feathers flash during flight and landing. Yellow cheeks stand out against darker head markings.
Seasonal Changes
Winter plumage appears duller overall. The black V becomes partially veiled with gray feathering. Fall brings thinner black barring on wings and tail. Whitish flanks replace the bright yellow extending to the sides. Head patterns lose some contrast. Spring molt restores full breeding colors—bright yellows, sharp black V, crisp head stripes.
Bill and Legs
The bill stretches long, slender, and sharply pointed. Upper mandible shows dark brown coloring while the lower mandible carries pale yellow with a dark tip. This shape works well for probing soil and grass for hidden insects. Legs and feet display yellow to tan coloring. Three toes point forward, one backward—standard perching arrangement.
Behavior and Song
Vocalizations
Males sing a rich, descending warble. The song starts with well-spaced clear whistles and ends with a rapid gurgle. Flute-like quality? That description fits perfectly. Songs last up to five seconds and carry across considerable distances in open country. Females also sing but produce shorter, less complex melodies than males.
Song Variations
Western Meadowlarks possess over 20 different vocalizations. Males produce territorial songs, mating songs, contact calls, and alarm calls. The most common call sounds like a throaty took or chook. This differs sharply from the Eastern Meadowlark's buzzy dzzhrrt. Song variations help distinguish Western from Eastern species where ranges overlap.
Territorial Behavior
Males defend territories averaging seven acres but ranging from three to fifteen acres. One male may mate with up to three females nesting within his territory. Watch a male sing from a fence post—he puffs out chest feathers, points the bill straight up to display the black V, spreads the tail wide, and flicks wings. Aggressive defense against intruding males continues throughout breeding season.
Daily Activity
Meadowlarks forage most actively during morning and evening hours. They walk along the ground taking insects and seeds from soil and low plants. Flight pattern? Short bursts of flapping alternate with gliding on stiff wings held below horizontal. The style resembles quail flight more than typical songbird patterns. Winter brings small flocks that often mix with other blackbird species.
Habitat and Range
North Dakota Distribution
Western Meadowlarks occupy grasslands, prairies, pastures, hay fields, wet meadows, and even alfalfa fields across North Dakota. They avoid heavily forested areas and dense cover. Most individuals stay year-round as permanent residents. Northern birds may migrate short distances to southern parts of the range during harsh winters. About 95% of native prairie has been converted to agricultural crops, yet meadowlarks adapted to farm landscapes.
Habitat Preferences
Open country defines their world. Native prairie with short to medium grass height works best. Pastures grazed by cattle create ideal conditions. Hay fields before first cutting provide nesting cover. Abandoned farmland reverting to grassland attracts breeding pairs. They prefer drier, sparser vegetation than Eastern Meadowlarks where ranges overlap.
Range Expansion
Western Meadowlarks range from British Columbia and southern Canada through the Great Plains to northern Mexico. Eastern range extends to Wisconsin and Michigan. The species occupies western two-thirds of the continent. Breeding range and numbers vary in drier western regions depending on spring rainfall amounts. Some populations shift eastward during winter in southern United States.
Conservation Concerns
Populations declined over 40% between 1966 and 2015 across the breeding range. North Dakota lists the species as a Conservation Priority, warranting continued monitoring and habitat protection. Despite declines, meadowlarks remain common across the state due to abundant suitable habitat. North Dakota law designates March 1 as Western Meadowlark Day.
Diet and Feeding
Seasonal Diet
Insects dominate during breeding season. Beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, ants, and true bugs make up 65-70% of summer intake. Spiders, snails, and sowbugs supplement insect prey. Seeds and waste grain provide about one-third of annual diet, eaten especially during fall and winter. Spring diet shifts back to insects as populations emerge.
Foraging Behavior
Meadowlarks walk along the ground while foraging. They probe soil with their sharp bills searching for hidden insects. Low plants get inspected for seeds and grain. Watch one work through a field—steady walking pace, frequent stops to probe or pick, occasional hops between feeding spots. Winter flocks may forage together in stubble fields and other agricultural land.
Nestling Diet
Parents feed nestlings almost exclusively insects. High protein content supports rapid growth. Both parents bring food to the nest, though females handle more feeding duties. Caterpillars provide essential nutrition. After fledging, parents continue feeding young for at least two weeks while juveniles learn to forage independently.
Breeding and Nesting
Mating System
Males commonly maintain multiple mates. Up to three females may nest within a single male's territory. Courtship displays involve males facing females, puffing chest feathers, pointing bills skyward, spreading tails widely, and flicking wings. Pairs form during spring as males establish territories through song.
Nesting
Females build nests on the ground in areas with dense grass cover. The structure sits in a small hollow or depression. Construction creates a domed shape with the entrance on the side, woven from grass stems and interlaced with surrounding vegetation. A runway sometimes extends from the nest entrance. Building takes time but provides concealment from predators.
Eggs and Incubation
Clutch size ranges from three to seven eggs, usually about five. Eggs appear white with heavy brown and purple spotting, especially at the larger end. Average measurements reach 28mm by 21mm. Females lay eggs at daily intervals. Incubation begins only after the last egg is laid and continues 13-15 days. Females handle most incubation though males occasionally sit briefly.
Raising Young
Chicks hatch helpless with eyes closed. Eyes open around day four or five. The female broods young initially while the male brings food. Both parents feed nestlings once they grow larger. Young leave the nest after about 12 days, before they can fly properly. Parents tend fledglings for at least two more weeks. Two broods per year commonly occur, rarely three.
Interesting Facts
Fact 1 of 9
Six U.S. states claim the Western Meadowlark as their state bird—tied for second place with only the Northern Cardinal representing more states at seven.
Western Meadowlark Songs & Calls
Hear the clear whistles and sharp calls of the Western Meadowlark. These field recordings capture their distinctive voice in natural habitat.
Audio licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Also the State Bird of:
Sources & References
This article has been researched using authoritative sources to ensure accuracy and reliability. All information has been fact-checked and verified against official government records and scientific databases.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology • Accessed: November 30, 2025
North Dakota Game and Fish Department • Accessed: November 30, 2025
National Audubon Society • Accessed: November 30, 2025
North Dakota Studies • Accessed: November 30, 2025
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