ML644343980

Observation details

An outlier meadowlark making repeated, short CHME-like zrrt calls from fence, accompanied by several WEME. Observed from 30-40 yards until flying into adjacent inaccessible field. Scope photos taken while stationary and calling. In flight it appeared to have the appropriate amount of white in tail, but attempted flight photos are unusable. Audio recording of target calls includes singing WEME and a few WEME calls for comparison. To my ears in the field and in the recording, the target bird's calls have a CHME-like zrrt quality and the spectrogram shows frequency range of 3-6kHz, matching distant recordings of CHME zrrt calls (e.g. https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/625860834). No other meadowlarks present made a call that resembled anything other than typical WEME vocals.

Additional species

• Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta