Dan's Feathursday Feature: Eastern Meadowlark

I am writing about this bird on a lark.

It seems the expression "on a lark" may date back to the 1800s, referring to a whim or a flight of fancy, like the light, soaring flight of the lark. What a cute lead line for this reflection.

Only one problem: Unlike the Skylark of Europe, where the expression "on a lark" probably originated, the Eastern Meadowlark is not known for its high, graceful flight. On the contrary, it's a pretty clumsy looking flyer. Imagine Charles Barkley hoisting a ballerina: effective, but not exactly elegant.

Oh, and one other tiny technicality: The Eastern Meadowlark is not a lark. It's in the same family as Red-winged Blackbirds, Grackles and a couple dozen other sharp-beaked birds with long tails.

Except the Meadowlark doesn't have a long tail.

Maybe I should just start all over....

Where I should have started is with the Eastern Meadowlark's song. There is nothing comparable. Picture yourself in a field, walking along a fencerow, with a tall oak tree up ahead. Coming from the top of the tree is the sound of a tin whistle—not a rousing jig, but a plaintive ballad, lifting and lilting and meandering, like a good Irish storyteller. It pauses long enough to make sure you're paying attention, and then takes up the melody again, with subtle variations. If you manage to spot the bird, and if the sun is hitting it just right, you'll see there's a pot of gold perched atop that tree.

Which was what I wanted to say all along about this stunning bird: It looks and sings as if its entire being were a whimsical flight of fancy.

Our Midwest farmland and prairies would not be complete without it.

Dan's Feathursday Feature is a regular contribution to the COS blog featuring the thoughts, insights and photography of Chicago birder, Dan Lory on birds of the Chicago region.