Western Meadowlark

Status One sight record. A meadowlark found by Eric Cooke and Sylvia Fullerton at Cherry Hill Beach, Lunenburg County, on 1 January 1982 uttered the characteristic call note of this species.

Remarks The Western Meadowlark is very difficult to distinguish from the Eastern Meadowlark by plumage characteristics, except at extremely close ranges. However, its call note is diagnostically different: a blackbird-like chuck, lower than the rough dzert of the Eastern Meadowlark. It is possible that this bird, which dwells on the western plains and occurs casually further east, is a more regular vagrant here than our single record suggests.