Western Meadowlark Sounds

Overview
ID info
Life History
Maps
Sounds

Song
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
Oregon, June 03, 1961Recorded by Robert C. Stein | Macaulay Library
Song and calls
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
California, June 08, 1989Recorded by Randolph Little | Macaulay Library
Calls
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
Oregon, June 14, 2005Recorded by Michael Andersen | Macaulay Library
Calls
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
Nebraska, June 11, 1990Recorded by Geoffrey A. Keller | Macaulay Library
Calls
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
Oregon, June 12, 1977Recorded by Moses Kadar | Macaulay Library
Calls
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
California, June 08, 1989Recorded by Randolph Little | Macaulay Library

Sounds provided by Macaulay Library.
Listen to more sounds of this species from the ML archive.

Songs

Male Western Meadowlarks have a complex, two-phrase “primary” song that begins with 1–6 pure whistles and descends to a series of 1–5 gurgling warbles. Males develop a repertoire of up to a dozen songs, and may switch the songs they sing in response to an intruder. When chasing competing males or responsive females, male Western Meadowlarks give a hurried, excited “flight song” of short-spaced whistles and warbles. Although Western Meadowlarks seldom sing more than 10–12 songs, their eastern counterparts exhibit a much larger repertoire of 50–100 song variations.

Calls

The Western Meadowlark’s most common call is a low, bell-like pluk or chupp which they use when disturbed and during courtship and territorial displays. Female Western Meadowlarks also give a soft rattle during courtship and egg laying, as well as a low intensity tee-tee-tee when building the nest and laying eggs. For their first few weeks after leaving the nest, young birds give a simple, high-pitched location call, which is replaced by a weet note once the birds are independent. Adults use the weet note when migrating.