Red-breasted Meadowlark (Leistes militaris)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Red-breasted Meadowlark

Leistes militaris (Linnaeus, 1758)

19 cmLength48 gWeight

Busiest months: January–March · Most records: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: January–March · Most records: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia

Red-breasted Meadowlark has been recorded at 256 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 13 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Ciudad Neily rice fields south of HospitalCosta Rica929 records
  2. Aripo Livestock (Agriculture Research) StationTrinidad & Tobago695 records
  3. Reserva San FranciscoPanama639 records
More places
  1. Entrada Los Chiles (El Parque) hasta Caño NegroCosta Rica491 records
  2. Esquinas Rainforest LodgeCosta Rica432 records
  3. RN Laguna de SonsoColombia409 records
  4. California – San San-Pond SakPanama388 records
  5. Camino Punta Róbalo – Palma RealPanama374 records
  6. Río Changuinola y DesembocaduraPanama358 records
  7. Coto 47 – Las PangasCosta Rica329 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Costa RicaPanamaColombiaTrinidad & TobagoVenezuelaBrazilGuyanaFrench Guiana

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

Questions

How big is the Red-breasted Meadowlark?

The Red-breasted Meadowlark is about 19 cm long and weighs around 48 g.

Where does the Red-breasted Meadowlark live?

Its breeding range: Middle America, South America: southeastern Nicaragua to northwestern Bolivia and north-central Brazil. It is most often recorded in Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia.

When is the best time to see the Red-breasted Meadowlark?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January, February and March (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Red-breasted Meadowlark endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Red-breasted Meadowlark as Least Concern.

What does the Red-breasted Meadowlark eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Red-breasted Meadowlark in?

It belongs to the family Oropendolas, New World Orioles, Blackbirds (Icteridae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length
19 cm
Weight
48 g
Habitat
Grassland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Partial migrant
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
88 mm
Tail
57 mm
Bill
20 mm
Tarsus
29 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Middle America, South America: southeastern Nicaragua to northwestern Bolivia and north-central Brazil

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Genus
Leistes

Other birds in the genus Leistes

White-browed MeadowlarkWhite-browed MeadowlarkLeistes superciliarisPeruvian MeadowlarkPeruvian MeadowlarkLeistes bellicosusLong-tailed MeadowlarkLong-tailed MeadowlarkLeistes loycaPampas MeadowlarkPampas MeadowlarkLeistes defilippiiYellow-breasted ChatYellow-breasted ChatIcteria virensYellow-headed BlackbirdYellow-headed BlackbirdXanthocephalus xanthocephalusBobolinkBobolinkDolichonyx oryzivorusWestern MeadowlarkWestern MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaEastern MeadowlarkEastern MeadowlarkSturnella magnaChihuahuan MeadowlarkChihuahuan MeadowlarkSturnella lilianae
Red-breasted Meadowlark

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Carmelo López Abad. ↗

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