Hi Ted,
I think the Teller Farm Eastern Meadowlark is a fine old Sturnella magna magna
("Eastern" Eastern). The song is high pitched (averaging around 4 kHz vs. 3-3.5
on Lillian's), the thing has midnight black head stripes and kerchief, and the
view of the tail feathers that we get in your video taken from behind the bird
(dorsal surface of tail) shows dark webs on the two inner tail feathers that
should be all white on Lillian's.
Everyone can brush up on the audible differences between the songs at Nathan
Pieplow's blog here: http://earbirding.com/blog/archives/29
A checklist with some tracks of what I IDed as a Lillian's on Gunbarrel Hill,
Boulder County, in 2018. I think the song stands out as being quite distinct
from the "king of the earth" song of nominate Easterns:
https://ebird.org/checklist/S46522659
Then there was this one that I found back in June 2013:
https://ebird.org/checklist/S14388107
I'll be adding the videos mentioned in the comments to the checklist here
shortly, but it might take them a while to process. The skinny is that it is a
S. magna magna that sings a high-pitched Eastern song, but had no problem
switching to a bubbly Western Meadowlark song when it wanted. The clincher from
the ID standpoint was that it called like an Eastern. As Nathan Pieplow might
tell you, meadowlarks can learn each others' songs, but the calls are innate.
One more anecdote that I have observed on the Teller Farm Eastern. It's in an
irrigated hay field. It's the kind of place one might expect to observe a S.
magna magna back east. It's far from the dry grasslands inhabited by Lillian's.
The Lillian's on Gunbarrel Hill was in a weedy patch of pasture grasses and
thistles amongst a prairie dog colony. Good for Westerns and Lillian's. You may
note a distinct grass in the 2013 Eastern videos- that's New Mexican Feather
Grass. In good years it produces a distinct tall structure that can be seen
from miles away. I think that's what drew it into that area among the matrix of
short-stature mixed-grass prairie in the surrounding landscape.
Christian Nunes<http://aka.ms/weboutlook>
Boulder, CO
________________________________
From: [email protected] <[email protected]> on behalf of Ted
Floyd <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, June 26, 2020 2:00 PM
To: Colorado Birds <[email protected]>
Subject: [cobirds] Is the Boulder Co. meadowlark a Lilian's meadowlark?
Hey, all.
Hannah Floyd and I caught up yesterday evening, Thurs., June 25, with the
eastern meadowlark that's been summering at Teller Farms, Boulder County.
Conditions were trying, with a steady west wind (a dry squall was passing),
eccentric lighting, and the various noises associated with that infernal ditch.
Nevertheless, we succeeded in obtaining audio, video, and photos of the bird.
Audio:
https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/245783731
https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/245784621
Video:
https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/245786061
https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/245787041
Photos:
https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/245787831
https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/245787841
Based on various details of plumage and song, I wonder if this meadowlark is a
Lilian's meadowlark, Sturnella magna lilianae (=S. lilianae, a full species, by
some authorities).
Any thoughts on that?
And here's a thought we'll all agree on: Whatever it is, the bird sings a
bright, beautiful song! At the exact same bend in the trail as the meadowlark,
listen for Dickcissels and Bobolinks. They're there with the meadowlark--and
less taxonomically vexing.
Ted Floyd
Lafayette, Boulder County
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