Peruvian Meadowlark

Overview

The Peruvian meadowlark (Leistes bellicosus) is a species of bird in the family Icteridae, commonly found across parts of South America. It has a large range and is assessed as being of Least Concern by the IUCN, with a population believed to be stable.

Identification

• Adult males feature a mostly black head with a white forehead, a long supercilium that is red from the bill to the eye and white beyond it, and a bright red chin, throat, and breast.
• Females possess an all-white supercilium, paler upperparts, and a whitish throat, lacking the bold red of the males.
• Both sexes measure approximately 21 cm in length and have a bluish ivory bill with a dusky tip, dark brown irises, and gray-brown to blackish legs.
• The male's display song is described as a prolonged wheezy descending note preceded by short ones, such as 'tee-tee-zho-zhweeeeee', accompanied by a short, raspy 'chak'.

Habitat

The species inhabits grasslands, pastures, and agricultural areas, often occupying oases and irrigated croplands in arid coastal regions. Its range extends from southwestern Colombia through Ecuador and Peru to northern Chile, occurring from sea level up to 2,800 m in Peru.

Diet

Although not fully studied, the diet includes seeds and likely arthropods, small vertebrates, and some fruit. The bird forages primarily on the ground and may form flocks of 50 or more individuals outside the breeding season.

Did you know?

The male performs a vertical flight display while singing, and the species constructs its ground nest as a cup of grass and stems, frequently featuring a dome with a side entrance hidden in a grass clump or under a shrub.