Wyoming is amongst the last states to be admitted to statehood. It was actually the 44th state, in the year 1890 on July 10. The capital city of Wyoming is Cheyenne. The nickname for Wyoming is the Equality State. It is actually the state with the lowest population in the US. The state bird is a particularly common one though.
What is the State Bird of Wyoming?
The Wyoming state bird is none other than the famous cross country songbird, Western Meadowlark. The position was designated to it in 1927. The bird belongs to the family of blackbirds and Orioles.
They are very small in size. The largest is about 11 inches in length and the smallest is about 8 inches. They have a yellow plumage with a black color V mark around their neck. The cheeks are yellow as well with black and white stripes at the head. The wings are brown and black for Western Meadowlark.
What Makes the State Bird of Wyoming Unusual?
The most unusual part about Wyoming state bird has to be the whistle sound that comes out of such a small bird species. They do this 7 to 10 note melody that sounds like a flute. If you listen to it once, it will cheer you up. It has a very chirpy quality to it.
Another unusual thing about the Western Meadowlark is the V-shaped mark on their neck. Over their yellow plumage is a distinct black mark around their neck area. The overall lemon yellow color the Western Meadowlark has is also quite unusual. Not many bird species possess this color, other than the Eastern Meadowlark.
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Western Meadowlark Migration
Wyoming State Bird Facts
Let’s learn some interesting facts about the Wyoming official state bird!
1 . Both Eastern Meadowlark and Western Meadowlark have visible similarities in their appearance. However, even if the ranges of the bird species do meet, they are rarely seen interbreeding. Some experiments were done with the bird species such as captive breeding. It turns out that the young produced this way were all fertile. However, when it came to hatching eggs, a lot of them were unsuccessful.
2. The technique known as gaping is used by Western Meadowlark when it comes to feeding. In this technique, they will place their bill on tree bark. It could also be the ground with soft soil. Then, using the power of their bill, they force a hole open in the area. Now, they are capable of reaching for the insects inside the tree barks and the ground and get access to more food.
3. The roof over Western Meadowlark’s nest is actually made with grass. This helps them hide from other predators.
Final Thoughts
The Western Meadowlark is a beloved part of Wyoming. If you want to see one, you just need to visit the greener areas of the state. The lemon yellow color of Western Meadowlark makes for great pictures. However, since they are such small birds, it’s hard to capture them on camera. If you do manage to click a good picture, though, it would be an awesome part of your bird-watching collection.
