The Western Meadowlark is the state bird for both Nebraska and Kansas. This is cache #8 in a series of 27 honoring Kansas and Nebraska state symbols along State Line Road.
The western meadowlark, also know as sturnella neglecta, grows to about 8.5 inches long, nests on the ground in open country in Western and Central North America. From Southern Canada to northern Mexico, and the Mississippi river to the west coast. It eats mostly insects but also nuts and berries. It has a distinct call that is watery and almost flute like. The Eastern and Western Meadowlark were considered the same species for a long time until more scientific research was done. The western species was given the name neglecta becasue of this. It is the state bird of 6 states, only the Northern Cardinal is the state bird of more states.
The Western Meadowlark was adopted by the 45th session of the Nebraska Legislature as the offical state bird by joint and concurrent resolution on March 22, 1929. This was actually in response to many groups in the state calling it the state bird, before it was declared so. Kansas adopted it as thier state bird in their legistlative session in 1937. This was in response to the Kansas Audubon society polling the school children as to which bird they thought should become the state bird of Kansas. The western meadowlark won by an overwhelming 10K votes!