| Meadowlarks | |
|---|---|
| |
| Eastern Meadowlark, a member of "Group A". | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Clade: | Inopinaves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Suborder: | Passeri |
| Clade: | Nine-primaried oscines |
| Epifamily: | Icteroidae |
| Clade: | Blackbird and warbler group |
| Family: | Icteridae |
| Subfamily: | Sturnellinae |
| Genus: | Sturnella Vieillot, 1816 |
Meadowlarks are birds belonging to the genus Sturnella in the New World family Icteridae. Sturnella meadowlarks and blackbirds small group of gregarious and conspicuous grassland-inhabiting blackbirds.[1]
This genus includes seven species of largely insectivorous grassland birds. In all species the male at least has a black or brown back and extensively red or yellow underparts.
Taxonomy[]
Together with the Yellow-headed Blackbird and Bobolink, Sturnella make up the Sturnellinae subfamily.[2]
Members of Sturnella can be grouped into three main groups:[1]
- "Group A": underparts yellow with black crescent; sexes alike.[1]
- "Group B": underparts red; females duller, streakier below.[1]
- "Group C": like group B, but blacker and bill shorter.[1]
Species list[]
"Group A":
- Eastern Meadowlark, Sturnella magna
- Western Meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta
- Lilian's Meadowlark, Sturnella lilianae
"Group B":
- Long-tailed Meadowlark, Sturnella loyca
- Peruvian Meadowlark, Sturnella bellicosa
- Pampas Meadowlark, Sturnella defillippi
"Group C":
- Red-breasted Blackbird, Sturnella militaris
- White-browed Blackbird, Sturnella superciliaris
References[]
- ^ a b c d e Ridgely, Robert and Tudor, Guy (1989). The Birds of South America: The Oscine Passerines. University of Texas Press. ISBN 0292707568.
- ^ John H. Boyd III (September 12, 2011). "CORE PASSEROIDEA IV: Emberizidae and Passerellidae". TiF Checklist. Retrieved 13-12-2024. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help)
- New World Blackbirds by Jaramillo and Burke, ISBN 0-7136-4333-1
External links[]
- Meadowlarks on Enature
- Sturnella videos, photos and sounds on the Internet Bird Collection
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This article is part of Project Bird Genera, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each genus, including made-up genera. |
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