Leistes superciliaris
The White-browed Meadowlark (Leistes superciliaris) is a visually striking member of the New World blackbird family (Icteridae), a medium-sized passerine typically measuring 18-21 cm in length and weighing 40-60 grams. Males are instantly recognizable by their brilliant reddish-orange throats and breasts, which sharply contrast with a prominent white supercilium extending from the lores to beyond the eye, and dark, streaked upperparts. Females exhibit a noticeable sexual dimorphism, displayin...
Found primarily in open grasslands, savannas, agricultural fields, and pastures, often near water, typically at elevations from sea level up to 2,000 meters.
Primarily insectivorous during the breeding season, consuming a wide range of invertebrates including grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, and caterpillars; shifts to a more granivorous diet of grass seeds and agricultural grains during the non-breeding months.
White-browed Meadowlarks are largely diurnal, often seen foraging on the ground in pairs or small family groups, though they may form larger flocks outside the breeding season, especially during austral winter. Foraging involves walking through short grass, gleaning insects and seeds from the sur...
The White-browed Meadowlark has a broad distribution across central and eastern South America, encompassing southeastern Brazil, eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, northeastern Argentina, and southern Peru. While largely resident throughout much of its range, southern populations, particularly t...
Least Concern
- Despite its common name, the White-browed Meadowlark is not closely related to the true larks of the family Alaudidae, but rather to New World blackbirds and orioles. - Its vibrant reddish-orange breast coloration serves as a key visual signal during courtship and territorial displays, becoming...