Fauna
Bird

Long-tailed Meadowlark

Sturnella loyca

Also known as Patagonian Meadowlark, Loyca

Long-tailed meadowlarks stride purposefully through wind-swept southern plains, probing the soil with stout, pointed bills for beetles, larvae, and fallen seeds. Males perform conspicuous song flights during the austral spring, fluttering upward before parachuting back to a fence post or tussock while pouring out a melodious, wheezy whistle. They construct well-concealed, domed grass nests directly on the ground, woven beneath low shrubs to shield eggs and chicks from relentless Patagonian gales.

SongbirdGrasslandColorful
Long-tailed Meadowlark reference
Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyBeetles, Grasshoppers, Grass seeds
Predators
  • Variable hawk
  • Aplomado falcon
  • Culpeo fox
ThreatsOvergrazing, intensive agricultural conversion, and predation by introduced mammals
HabitatsTemperate grasslands, agricultural pastures, coastal heath, and shrubby steppes
Life span5–8 years
Classification
  1. FamilyIcteridae
  2. SpeciesSturnella loyca
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Fence Perches: Scan fence lines and top branches of calafate bushes along roadside pastures where males display.
  • Ground Nests: Watch your footing in tall tussock grass during spring to avoid stepping on concealed nests.
Related species
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