Population status

Eastern Meadowlark
(Sturnella magna)

Eastern Meadowlark populations are well monitored by the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), which covers most of the breeding population in Canada. The population has shown a large and continuing decrease throughout its Canadian and continental breeding range since about 1970, with an overall loss of 84% of the population in Canada. The Eastern Meadowlark is below the lowest acceptable level relative to its national population goal (see Canada graph below). Once the Recovery Strategy is developed under the Species at Risk Act, this goal will be re-examined.

 

Population goal and acceptable levels of variation

Species/groupGoalLower levelUpper level
Eastern MeadowlarkMean abundance (first 5 years of survey)Goal minus 25% Not applicable

Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis

Additional information on: Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis

Table 1: Population trends by geographic area
Geographic areaTime Period Table 1 - footnote 1 Annual trend Table 1 - footnote 2 Limits
LowerUpper
Canada Select to view graph of the geographic area: Canada 1970-2016; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis1970-2016-3.9-4.3-3.5
Canada Select to view graph of the geographic area: Canada 2006-2016; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis2006-2016-5.4-6.8-4
Boreal Hardwood Transition Select to view graph of the geographic area: Boreal Hardwood Transition 1970-2016; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis1970-2016-3.7-4.5-2.9
Lower Great Lakes / St. Lawrence Plain Select to view graph of the geographic area: Lower Great Lakes / St. Lawrence Plain 1970-2016; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis1970-2016-3.9-4.4-3.4
Atlantic Northern Forest Select to view graph of the geographic area: Atlantic Northern Forest 1970-2016; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis1970-2016-6-7.7-4.3
North America Select to view graph of the geographic area: North America 1970-2016; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis1970-2016-3.1-3.4-2.5
 

References