Long-tailed Meadowlark
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[Photo] Long-tailed Meadowlark (Sturnella loyca). Author Flickr user Alastair Rae http://flickr.com/photos/merula/

The Long-tailed Meadowlark (Sturnella loyca) is a passerine bird of southern South America belonging to the meadowlark genus Sturnella in the icterid family.

It is 25 to 28 cm long with a fairly long tail and a long, pointed bill. The male is mostly dark brown with blackish streaking. The breast and throat are bright red and there is a white spot on the face near the base of the bill. The bold supercilium is white behind the eye and red in front of it. Females are paler than the males. The red markings are restricted to a wash on the belly and the supercilium and throat are buff.

It breeds in southern Chile and southern and western parts of Argentina. Some birds migrate northwards in winter. An endemic subspecies occurs in the Falkland Islands. Long-tailed Meadowlarks are found in open habitats such as grassland where they forage on the ground, feeding mainly on invertebrates.

The nest is made of dry grass and is built by the female. It is placed on or near the ground amongst grass. Two clutches of two to four eggs are laid during the breeding season. They are bluish-white with dark blotches and streaks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-tailed_Meadowlark

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