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What to look and listen for:
Meadowlarks returning to your area. Watch for the aerial displays and listen for the songs beginning in late March.
The Eastern Meadowlark is most commonly spotted in southwestern Nova Scotia, especially in Annapolis County. The first arrivals may be seen as early as April and they will continue to arrive into May. They like wide-open spaces such as fields and pastures. Their throat, upper breast and belly have rich yellow streaks. There is a black, crescent-shaped patch on the upper breast. The back, wings and tail have lots of black and brown markings, while its sides are white with dark streaks. There is a yellow spot in front of the eye and a dark line running from the eye to the neck. Watch for the aerial displays as the males try to win over the females. If you surprise a Meadowlark on the ground it will fly up with an explosive burst of energy. Meadowlarks are also reknowned for their songs and an Eastern Meadowlark male can have up to 100 different ones in his repertoire!
Did you know? ... That the Western Meadowlark and the Eastern Meadowlark have different songs and the females can tell the difference between them. This means that a Western Meadowlark male wouldn't have any luck with an Eastern Meadowlark female!
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