How to attract meadowlarks to your yard
Eastern Meadowlarks respond to four things: the right food, the right plants, water and safe nesting cover. Here is what each means for this particular bird, drawn from its range across 41 states and provinces.
First: is it in your area, and when?
You can only attract a bird that passes through or lives near you, so start with timing. The Eastern Meadowlark is a year-round resident in 39 states and provinces, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida and 33 more — there, a yard can host it in every season. It arrives only to breed in 2, such as Ontario, Quebec, so set up before spring arrival.
Plant what meadowlarks use
These native plants are tied to the Eastern Meadowlark in our regional plant lists (Audubon Native Plants and state sources). The count shows how many states or provinces list the plant for this bird — higher means it works across more of the range. Pick the ones native where you live.
| Plant | Type | States | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black cherry Prunus serotina | Tree | 41 | Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees. |
| American elderberry Sambucus canadensis | Shrub | 39 | Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species. |
| Serviceberry Amelanchier arborea | Tree | 37 | Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed. |
| White oak Quercus alba | Tree | 37 | Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food. |
| Flowering dogwood Cornus florida | Tree | 30 | Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers. |
| Spicebush Lindera benzoin | Shrub | 30 | Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants. |
| Wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa | Perennial | 28 | Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches. |
| Arrowwood viburnum Viburnum dentatum | Shrub | 26 | Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover. |
| Bur oak Quercus macrocarpa | Tree | 24 | Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load. |
| Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta | Perennial | 9 | Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows. |
Your list covers 3 plant layers (tree, shrub, perennial). Layering matters: mixing tree, shrub, perennial gives meadowlarks food, perches and cover at different heights. Leave seed heads and fruit standing into winter instead of cutting back in fall.
Offer the food it actually eats
Insects and seeds taken while walking on the ground.
- Warm months
- Grasshoppers, crickets and caterpillars
- Cold months
- Grass and weed seeds
- At feeders
- Cracked corn, Millet (on open ground)
Feeder style matters as much as food: low ground tray under cover is the first choice for this bird. A grassland bird of pastures and big rural lawns; mowed field edges with scattered cover suit it best. Feeder guide →
Give it a place to nest
Natural site: Domed grass nest hidden on the ground.
It does not use nest boxes, so the way to host a nest is cover: keep dense native shrubs, vines or trees of the kind listed above, and avoid pruning them during the nesting season.
- Clutch
- 2–7 eggs
- Incubation
- 13–16 days
- Nestling period
- 10–12 days
- Broods per year
- 1–2 per season
Timing shifts with latitude: nesting begins around March in Alabama but not until May in Wisconsin. Don't trim shrubs or clean boxes during those months.
Water, safety and patience
- A shallow bath (1–2 in deep) with a rough bottom, refreshed every 2–3 days; a dripper or heater makes it far more attractive in summer heat and winter freeze.
- Place feeders within 3 ft of windows or more than 30 ft away to cut window strikes, and keep cats indoors.
- Skip pesticides — most backyard birds feed insects to their nestlings, even seed-eaters.
- Give it time. New feeders and plantings can take days to weeks to be found; residents usually find a stocked yard first.
Frequently asked
What attracts meadowlarks to a yard?
Food they actually eat (cracked corn, millet (on open ground)), native plants such as Black cherry, American elderberry, Serviceberry, clean water and suitable nesting cover: domed grass nest hidden on the ground.
What plants attract meadowlarks?
Across the Eastern Meadowlark's range, the native plants most often tied to it are Black cherry (Prunus serotina), American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), White oak (Quercus alba), Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida). Choose the ones native to your state.
When should I set up my yard for nesting meadowlarks?
Nesting starts around March in Alabama and as late as May in Wisconsin. Have cover, water ready a month before.
Sources
- Eastern Meadowlark — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Eastern Meadowlark life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Eastern Meadowlark — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.