Breeding

Has not been studied in detail. In Arizona it is reported to breed primarily following the summer monsoons, with nests with eggs found 16 July – 5 August, and late July considered peak (44 Brandt, H. (1951). Arizona and its Bird Life: A Naturalist's Adventures with the Nesting Birds on the Deserts, Grasslands, Foothills, and Mountains of Southeastern Arizona. The Bird Research Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA. Close ). It may breed earlier in Arizona and elsewhere, as in New Mexico where young have been reported on 10 May (45 Ligon, J.S. (1961). New Mexico Birds and Where to Find Them. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Close ). In Sonora, singing is heard most often from January through summer, with sporadic singing in other times, suggesting an earlier breeding season (46 Russell, S. M., and G. Monson (1998). The Birds of Sonora. University of Arizona Press, Tucson, AZ, USA. Close ).

Site Characteristics

It nests on the ground in grasslands and builds a nest hidden below tall grass and other vegetative cover (44 Brandt, H. (1951). Arizona and its Bird Life: A Naturalist's Adventures with the Nesting Birds on the Deserts, Grasslands, Foothills, and Mountains of Southeastern Arizona. The Bird Research Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA. Close ).

Construction Process

A shallow depression may be scratched out at the nest site, leaving part of the nest sunk into the ground (44 Brandt, H. (1951). Arizona and its Bird Life: A Naturalist's Adventures with the Nesting Birds on the Deserts, Grasslands, Foothills, and Mountains of Southeastern Arizona. The Bird Research Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA. Close ). Otherwise, nest construction has not been studied. In other meadowlarks, females chose the site and build the nest (37 Lanyon, W. E. (1957). The comparative biology of the meadowlarks (Sturnella) in Wisconsin. Publications of the Nuttall Ornithological Club. No. 1. Cambridge, MA. Close ).

Structure and Composition

A cup nest on the ground, described as a "sunken retortlike home of long hay" (44 Brandt, H. (1951). Arizona and its Bird Life: A Naturalist's Adventures with the Nesting Birds on the Deserts, Grasslands, Foothills, and Mountains of Southeastern Arizona. The Bird Research Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA. Close ). The nest is made of dried grass and has a dome shaped cover (44 Brandt, H. (1951). Arizona and its Bird Life: A Naturalist's Adventures with the Nesting Birds on the Deserts, Grasslands, Foothills, and Mountains of Southeastern Arizona. The Bird Research Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA. Close , 45 Ligon, J.S. (1961). New Mexico Birds and Where to Find Them. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Close ).

Dimensions

Information needed. Other meadowlark nests have an exterior diameter of 14–21 cm (39 Jaster, L. A., W. E. Jensen, and W. E. Lanyon (2020). Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. Close ).

Microclimate

Information needed.

Maintenance or Reuse of Nests

Information needed.

Shape

Has not been studied, but likely similar to other meadowlarks which have an ovate shape (6 Bent, A. C. (1958). Life histories of North American blackbirds, orioles, tanagers, and their allies. United States National Museum Bulletin 211. Close ).

Size

Has not been studied, presumably similar to that of other meadowlark species with length between 21–31 mm and breadth between 18–22 mm (6 Bent, A. C. (1958). Life histories of North American blackbirds, orioles, tanagers, and their allies. United States National Museum Bulletin 211. Close , 47 Roseberry, J.L. and Klimstra, W.D. (1970). The nesting ecology and reproductive performance of the Eastern Meadowlark. Wilson Bull. 82: 243-267. Close ).

Mass

Information needed.

Eggshell Thickness

Information needed.

Color and Surface Texture

White, speckled brownish or purplish (45 Ligon, J.S. (1961). New Mexico Birds and Where to Find Them. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Close ), similar to other meadowlarks.

Clutch Size

4–6 in New Mexico (45 Ligon, J.S. (1961). New Mexico Birds and Where to Find Them. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Close ).

Egg Laying

Has not been studied. Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) and Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) lay single eggs in the morning on consecutive days (37 Lanyon, W. E. (1957). The comparative biology of the meadowlarks (Sturnella) in Wisconsin. Publications of the Nuttall Ornithological Club. No. 1. Cambridge, MA. Close ).

Has not been studied. In other meadowlarks, only females incubate the eggs, and the incubation period lasts 13-16 days (37 Lanyon, W. E. (1957). The comparative biology of the meadowlarks (Sturnella) in Wisconsin. Publications of the Nuttall Ornithological Club. No. 1. Cambridge, MA. Close ).

Has not been studied, but likely similar to other meadowlarks where young hatch on the same day without parental assistance (39 Jaster, L. A., W. E. Jensen, and W. E. Lanyon (2020). Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. Close ).

Condition at Hatching

Has not been studied. Other meadowlarks have altricial young with sparse feathering at hatching and weigh between 5–7 g (6 Bent, A. C. (1958). Life histories of North American blackbirds, orioles, tanagers, and their allies. United States National Museum Bulletin 211. Close , 42 Knapton, R.W. (1988). Nesting success is higher for polygynously mated females than for monogamously mated females in the Eastern Meadowlark. Auk 105(2): 325-329. Close ).

Growth and Development

Has not been studied. The general development of Eastern Meadowlark and Western Meadowlark has the eyes open on day 5, wings start moving on day 5, pin feathers break on day 6, fledging by day 10-12 despite not fully emerged flight feathers, and capable of sustained flight by day 21 (39 Jaster, L. A., W. E. Jensen, and W. E. Lanyon (2020). Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. Close ).

Brooding

Has not been studied, however likely similar to Eastern Meadowlark and Western Meadowlark where female broods alone with infrequent food deliveries from the male (37 Lanyon, W. E. (1957). The comparative biology of the meadowlarks (Sturnella) in Wisconsin. Publications of the Nuttall Ornithological Club. No. 1. Cambridge, MA. Close ).

Feeding

Has not been studied. Presumably Chihuahuan Meadowlark young are fed insects, similar to other meadowlark young (41 Saunders, G. B. (1932). A taxonomic revision of the meadowlarks of the genus Sturnella (Vieillot) and the natural history of the eastern meadowlark, Sturnella magna (Linnaeus). Phd Thesis, Cornell Univ., Ithaca. Close , 37 Lanyon, W. E. (1957). The comparative biology of the meadowlarks (Sturnella) in Wisconsin. Publications of the Nuttall Ornithological Club. No. 1. Cambridge, MA. Close ).

Nest Sanitation

Has not been studied, but likely similar to other meadowlarks where fecal sacs are removed and dropped far from the nest (37 Lanyon, W. E. (1957). The comparative biology of the meadowlarks (Sturnella) in Wisconsin. Publications of the Nuttall Ornithological Club. No. 1. Cambridge, MA. Close ).

Not reported.

Has not been studied. Cowbirds (Molothrus) parasitize other meadowlarks, and may act as a brood parasite to Chihuahuan Meadowlark, but this is unconfirmed (37 Lanyon, W. E. (1957). The comparative biology of the meadowlarks (Sturnella) in Wisconsin. Publications of the Nuttall Ornithological Club. No. 1. Cambridge, MA. Close , 48 Elliot, P. F. (1978). Cowbird parasitism in the Kansas tallgrass prairie. Auk 95:161-167. Close ).

Has not been studied. In other meadowlarks, fledglings are not capable of sustained flight until day 21, and continue to be dependent on parents for weeks after fledging the nest (37 Lanyon, W. E. (1957). The comparative biology of the meadowlarks (Sturnella) in Wisconsin. Publications of the Nuttall Ornithological Club. No. 1. Cambridge, MA. Close ).

Information needed.