The Story
This Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) was at La Macarena, Meta, Colombia when I photographed it. Its song is made of pure, melancholy whistles. It is a permanent resident through much of its range, though most northern birds move south in winter. It nests on the ground, in a shallow depression covered with a roof woven from grasses. The Sierra de la Macarena is home to about 420 bird species, along with eight species of primates. La Macarena is part of the Sierra de la Macarena and of the Macarena Special Management Area, which brings together several protected areas.
I made this frame with a Pentax K-1 and the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6, at 1/1000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400. IUCN lists the Eastern Meadowlark as Near Threatened, with a decreasing population.
©2020 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) belongs to the family Icteridae (Troupials and Allies) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2020), with the population trend listed as decreasing. Source: IUCN Red List