Eastern Meadowlark, Sturnella magna
Eastern and Western Meadowlark are hard to distinguish by appearance, though this bird has the white rather than yellow malar more characteristic of Eastern. In addition, their songs are different, the bird was singing, and it was not the Western Meadowlark song I know well. The nesting species of Meadowlark along the Texas Gulf Coast, where this bird was photographed, is the Eastern.
The pale auriculars (cheek patch) and the strongly contrasting dark eyeline mark
this Arizona meadowlark in April as probably an Eastern Meadowlark of the
"Lilian's" subspecies, rather than a Western Meadowlark, which would have
brownish auriculars and a paler eyeline. In addition, this bird has a white rather
than a yellow malar (mustache strip), indicative of Eastern. Lilian's is a candidate
for recognition as a separate species.
Above and below, singing Eastern Meadowlarks along Joe Overstreet Road in southern Osceola County, Florida; the songs were different from that of the Western Meadowlark, and in any case Westerns are not found in Florida.
