Growing Research for Eastern Meadowlarks

Growing Research for Eastern Meadowlarks

Smithsonian Research Fellow Bernadette Rigley attaches a GPS tag to an adult eastern meadowlark

In late 2019, Conservation Nation funded a pilot project for Eastern Meadowlarks with the goal of tracking where these grassland birds migrate across North America so that efforts can be made to protect those lands. Dr. Amy Johnson, Director of Virginia Working Landscapes, led this pilot project with Migratory Bird Center, Movement of Life Initiative, and George Mason University. It is one of few projects worldwide that actively traps and tags meadowlarks.

The program has soared to new heights following the pilot season funded by Conservation Nation. According to Dr. Amy Johnson, 10 Eastern Meadowlarks have been tagged in Virginia and are actively sending data back to be analyzed. This acquired data provides a unique peek into the migratory strategies of this iconic grassland species.

The success of this program has generated interest from research collaborators and funding organizations alike. Dr. Johnson shares that they recently received a $100,000 grant to expand the project across the United States and Canada to include eastern and western species of meadowlarks! This kind of grant will bring together collaborators from other government agencies, NGO’s and Universities to combine resources and expertise to further uncover the secrets of meadowlarks.
Smithsonian ecologist and Virginia Working Landscapes Program Director, Dr. Amy Johnson, sharing all things meadowlark at an event highlighting projects supported by Conservation Nation.
Smithsonian Research Fellow and GMU Graduate student Bernadette Rigley attaches a GPS tag to and adult male eastern meadowlark at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. Data from this tag will help elucidate meadowlark movements throughout the year providing new insights on migratory strategies.
A May full moon setting over our field site at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. Studying birds involves a lot of early mornings, with researchers often starting their day by the light of the moon. If you look closely, you’ll see our mist net set up on the left, a meadowlark floating over the hay field in the center, and a wildlife tracking receiver station on the right.
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Dr. Johnson recently declared her gratitude for Conservation Nation, stating, “A project of this scale has never been carried out on this species before, so we are thrilled that it all stemmed from a pilot season in Virginia with support from Conservation Nation!”

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