Tulsa World: Bird Watch

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Bird Watch

An eastern meadowlark. COURTESY / Colin Smith

By DAN REINKING
Published: 11/8/2009 2:28 AM
Last Modified: 11/8/2009 7:02 AM

Meadowlarks flushing from the grass are familiar to Oklahoma ranchers, but not everyone realizes they come in two varieties.

During the nesting season, eastern and western meadowlarks in Oklahoma are somewhat segregated by range, with a broad area of overlap in central Oklahoma. During the winter months, some western meadowlarks move into eastern Oklahoma and mingle with their eastern relatives.

Differences in voice and subtle differences in face and tail patterns distinguish the two species, although they are not easy to tell apart.

Native grasslands provide important habitat for both species.

This week in eastern Oklahoma

Arrivals: Ross's Goose, Glaucous Gull

Departures: Black-bellied Plover, Pectoral Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Dan Reinking is a senior biologist at the Sutton Avian Research Center in Bartlesville. Contact him at dreinking@ou.edu or see tulsaworld.com/suttoncenter .

The Bird Watch list is excerpted from the Date Guide to the Occurrences of Birds in Oklahoma, which lists normal dates of occurrences for bird species by seven geographic regions of the state. It is a publication of the Oklahoma Bird Records Committee of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society. For full information about the guide and how to report unusual birds or sightings at unusual times of year go to tulsaworld.com/okbirds

By DAN REINKING

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