Oregon State Bird

Which Bird did the State of Oregon Pick as Its State Bird?

The state of Oregon chose the western meadowlark as its official state bird. One fact that you should know is that Oregon is not the only state that chose the western meadowlark as its state bird. The states of Wyoming, Kansas, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Montana also chose the western meadowlark as their state bird, too. The state of Oregon chose the western meadowlark as its state bird back in 1927.

The Oregon Audobon Society sponsored a poll of schoolchildren in the state of Oregon to determine the state bird. The western meadowlark won that poll and became the state bird of Oregon. This differentiates it from many other state birds which were selected by official state legislatures.

What Does A Western Meadowlark Look Like?

The western meadowlark is a common songbird in the western two-thirds of North America. Adult western meadowlarks are between eight and 11 inches long. Their heads have white and black stripes and they also have a bill that is pointed and long. The cheeks of the western meadowlark are yellow and their throats are also a bright yellow color, as well. Their most distinctive feature is probably the black mark on their chest that resembles the letter v.

Which Animals Prey on the Western Meadowlark?

As with most animals, the western meadowlark has its fair share of predators. Crows and hawks are two of the western meadowlark's predators, but there are others as well. Weasels, coyotes, skunks, and raccoons are some of the other animals that prey on the western meadowlark, as well. However, it is worth mentioning that the western meadowlark still maintains a significant population throughout its range. Despite this, the population of the western meadowlark has declined a bit in recent years.

What Does the Western Meadowlark Eat?

The western meadowlark does its foraging on the ground. It looks for various sources of food such as weed seeds, grain seeds, and insects. However, the western meadowlark also eats plenty of other bugs, as well. The western meadowlark eats plenty of beetles, grasshoppers, and snails.

In fact, an estimated 65-70% of a western meadowlark's diet is made up of spiders, grasshoppers, snails, sowbugs, caterpillars, cutworms, and beetles. This is the primary reason that the western meadowlark does its foraging on the ground. These insects and seeds are found on the ground, so the western meadowlark lands there to eat them.