Sturnella neglecta EditAnimalia----Tetrapoda----Aves (Birds)----Passeriformes (Perching birds)---Passeri---Icteridae (Blackbirds)----Sturnella---S. neglecta
"Neglecta" refers to the fact that this bird is so similar to the Eastern Meadowlark that it was regarded as the same species for years. One of the few blackbirds with a musical voice, the song consists of severl high-pitched notes with grasshopper like buzzes near the end. Western Meadowlarks are found mainly in the prairie region were the males perch on top of fenceposts to sing, the females tend to skulk around on the ground in cover of plants. The bright colour on the front can be very distracting to predators and as soon as the bird hides the yellow by turning or dropping into the grass the predator loses its target very rapidly. Males often have 2 or more mates at the same time, normally to assist with the young birds.
The Eastern Meadowlark is almost indistinguishable by sight and is easily identified by the call which is very different from the Western Meadowlark's, and despite the very close patterning there has been very, very few reports of hybridization with the two species and the resulting bird is said to have hints of both species' calls.