The Eastern Meadowlark, Sturnella magna, is a common songbird of North American grasslands, easily recognized by its bright yellow chest and distinct, flutelike whistle. The meadowlark is classified as an omnivore, meaning its diet consists of both animal and plant matter, but the proportions of these foods change dramatically with the seasons. Its survival depends on adapting its food sources to the shifting availability of insects during the warmer months and seeds when temperatures drop.
The Insect-Heavy Summer Diet
The bulk of the Eastern Meadowlark’s diet, especially during the breeding season from spring through summer, consists of invertebrates. This focus on animal protein is necessary to meet the high energy demands of reproduction and to provide growing nestlings with the concentrated nutrients they require. Common prey includes a wide assortment of insects such as grasshoppers and crickets, which are plentiful in open fields. Beetles, along with their larvae, and caterpillars are also frequently consumed, providing substantial caloric intake. Meadowlarks also prey on other small invertebrates like ants, true bugs, and spiders, and will occasionally consume earthworms and snails found near the soil surface.
Seed and Grain Consumption
The dietary composition shifts noticeably in the late fall and winter as insect populations decline and become less accessible. During these colder months, the Eastern Meadowlark transitions to a diet where plant matter, specifically seeds and grains, plays a much larger role. Plant foods can constitute over one-quarter of the bird’s annual intake, providing necessary sustenance when invertebrates are scarce. The meadowlark consumes a variety of weed seeds found in its grassland habitat, which are often unearthed from the ground or taken from low-lying plants. They also forage heavily on waste grain, such as spilled corn, wheat, and oats left behind in agricultural fields after harvest. While small wild fruits and berries are sometimes eaten, the primary plant diet is centered on these energy-dense seeds and grains.
Specialized Hunting and Foraging Methods
The Eastern Meadowlark is a dedicated ground forager, and its hunting behavior is closely linked to its physical structure and habitat. It typically walks slowly or stalks through dense grass and low vegetation, using its long, pointed bill to search for food on the surface or just beneath it. The most distinctive foraging technique is known as “gaping” or “prying,” which it shares with other members of the blackbird family. The meadowlark uses its strong jaw muscles to insert its closed bill into the soil, a clump of grass, or a crevice. It then forcibly opens its mandibles to spread the substrate apart, exposing hidden insects and larvae that would otherwise be out of reach. This powerful opening motion, which utilizes muscles stronger than those used for closing the bill, allows the bird to effectively disturb the ground and reveal prey.