Birds Connect Seattle, based in Seattle, Washington, designated the Western Meadowlark as Bird of the Week.

The Western Meadowlark has bright yellow bellies, a bold black "V" collar and a flute-like song.

Unlike many other blackbirds, these meadow-dwellers prefer grasslands, shrub-steppe and agricultural fields where they forage along the ground and sing from fence posts, shrubs and utility poles each spring.

While they’re most common in eastern Washington, a few can be spotted year-round in parts of western Washington, including the Puget Trough, Vancouver lowlands and Sequim. During winter, they often gather in flocks alongside other blackbirds and starlings.

Western Meadowlarks build their nests directly on the ground, carefully hidden beneath dense grasses and tucked into small dips in the earth. Their camouflage and secretive nesting habits make them harder to spot than their bright plumage might suggest.

Learn more about the Western Meadowlark at birdweb.org.