The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1914-03-07
BIRD STUDY
A Series of Articles on the
Habits of Birds That
Visit Madison
MEADOW LARK.

This well known bird with his
beautiful plumaRe, and his sweetness
OF voice, is "A favorite. and particular
ly to people who reside in the country.
Although his song consists only Of %
few melodious notes, he always meets
with a greeting when he arrives ia the
spring. While he is a migratory
bird, he is occasionally met with in
the middle states in the winter, hav-
ing been seen cleaning on the road
sides in the heart of the ssvere,t
winters. In January of this year n
farmer residing near Winfred re-
marked to The Daily Leader that a
Meadow Lark had remained on his
premises up to that time.
The range of the Meadow Lark is
very extensive. they having been found
from Upper Canada through most of
the states down to the Gulf of Mexico.
Their favotite places of resort are pas
ture fields and meadows, especially the
latter, from which circumstance they
derive their specific name. The rea-
son of their preference for meadows is
That these supply them most abundant
ly with the seeds and insects on which
they chiefly subsist.
The Meadow Lark builds his rest
in the month of May IN or below a
thick tussock of grass. 1t is com
posed of fine dry grass bent and laid
at the bottom, and wound all round.
leaving only an arched entrance level
with the ground. The inside IL lined
with stalks of the same material, and
occasionally with a few horse hairs and
other fbrous substances, disposed with
great regularity and care. The full
complement of eggs consists of four,
sometimes, but rarely. five. These
are white, marked with specks. dots,
and several larger blotches OF a reddish
brown color, chiefly the rounder end.
The young remain 10 the nest until
fully hedged, and are carefully fed by
10th parents.
After the Matching season is over
they collect in focks, but never fly
in a comnact body. Their flight re.
sembles somewhat that of the Grouse
and Quail. 1t is laborioas and steady,
alternately changing from a sailing
to IA renewed rapid motion Of the
wings They light on trees or bushes
as well as on the grcun ] but in the
former case always on the tops oil
the highest branches. preferring the
dry ones, whence they send forth theil
long, clear. and somewhat melanchol,
notes, which, for sweetness aud ten
derness of expression. cannot be sur
passed by any of u best warblinl
birds. Sometimes these long strained
notes are followed by a low chattering
which is the special call of tn,
female. after which the clear ant
plsintive strain is repeated.
The food of the Meadow Lark con
sists chiefly Of caterpillers. worms
beetles, and different grass seeds
mixed up with a considerable portion
of fine gravel, The female is distin
guished from the male, in her outward
appearance, by having this black cres
cent on the breast Of a lighter blacl
and more skirting with gray. TIL,
yellow on the breast is also somewha
less. bat otherwise the markings Ut he
plumage differ but little from those o
the male.
Contributions to this column ar
invited from both adults and children.
Loose or baled upland hay delivered
on short notice. IL. s Thompson
phone 460 red.