Youngsters
get to know the young hero and the adventures
that carry him toward manhood. As they come to know Jeremiah as a friend who would
understand their own growing pains, they look forward to each book in the
series.
Teachers
will Achieve..
Teachers will appreciate the ways
that Jeremiah Stokely novels, kits, and activities make literature
meaningful to children. Teachers can download free classroom idea
packets to hold a hand-on workshop based on each book.
Click the >Play button
to listen to the bird's song!
Meadowlark (Sturnella
magna – Eastern; Sturnella neglecta - Western)
Length 9-11 in., wingspan 14
in., Family Icteridae
Eastern and Western Meadowlarks
are virtually identical in plumage. The two species are so similar that it
wasn’t until 1844 that John James Audubon noticed the difference and named
the Western variety “neglecta” because it had been so long
overlooked. “Magna” means “large” or “great.”
The biggest difference between
the two species is in their musical talent. The Eastern Meadowlark can sing
50 to 100 songs, but the Western knows fewer than ten tunes!
The Meadowlark is brown,
streaked with black and tan, its throat and breast bright yellow with a
black “V” necklace. Its colors are brighter in breeding season. The female
is slightly duller than her mate.
Humans out for a walk in the
country are often startled when these beautiful birds burst up from the
ground with an explosive beating of wings. Meadowlarks inhabit grassy
fields, building domed nests deep in the grass. Females lay three to seven
eggs, white speckled with brown and dull lavender. Often more than one
female will nest in one male’s territory. Because they often nest in
hayfields, their nests may be destroyed by mowing. Unless it is too late in
the season, they build another nest and try again.
During
migration and winter, you may see a dozen or so meadowlarks in a group.
