Kansas State Bird: The Western Meadowlark
The state bird of Kansas is the Western Meadowlark. This beautiful bird is found across the breadth of North America and belongs to a family of birds known as New World blackbirds. It has distinctive markings, a cheerful song, and can be seen in many parts of Kansas during its migration season or year-round.
Description & Physical Characteristics
The Western Meadowlark is approximately 8 inches long with an 11-13 inch wingspan. Its body shape resembles that of a small robin but it is mostly brown with some yellow on its breast and chin area, which gives it an overall striped pattern. A white stripe runs down the center of its back from head to tail feathers for additional distinction. Its bill is short and slightly curved downward towards the tip, while its legs are short and slender with yellow feet at their ends. Additionally, males have bright yellow eyebrows that set them apart from females who may not show this feature or only display faint traces thereof.
Habitat & Diet
Western Meadowlarks inhabit open meadows, prairies, pastures, agricultural fields – basically any terrain where they can find tall vegetation like grasses or weeds for cover in order to hide themselves from predators when necessary. These birds are omnivores so they eat insects (their primary food source) as well as grains such as wheat oats barley etc., seeds fruits berries suet nuts etc., even small vertebrates like mice or snakes if they can catch them!
Reproduction & Behavior
Meadowlarks breed from March through August depending on geography; their nests are usually built low down among tall grasses (or other types of hiding places). They lay up to 5 eggs per clutch which incubate for about two weeks before hatching into chicks—which fledge after another three weeks or so! As far as behavior goes these birds will often sing loudly when defending territories but become quieter when moving around more stealthily looking for food—they also tend to fly high above ground level making use of thermals created by warm air rising off flat surfaces below them such as roads parking lots etc..
