# Bird Identification



## twinkielk15 (Jan 17, 2011)

Alright, time to ask the stupid question that’s been rattling around in my head since I moved to Utah 20 years ago. What are the small birds all along country roads in Utah with white feathers on both sides of the tail when in flight? They are brown aside from that, I think. When we moved here I heard everyone talking about doves all the time where we lived in Delta. I always assumed these were a kind of dove before I learned anything about hunting or Utah’s wildlife. That was long enough that I felt stupid asking what these birds are. It bugs me to this day. Hopefully someone on here can make sense if my poor description and help me out.


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

Western meadowlark?


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

Snap a picture of one if you get the chance. That would help a ton.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Small sparrow sized, flocks like to jump up and fly alone in front of your car sometimes, I am guessing Horned Lark


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## twinkielk15 (Jan 17, 2011)

Thanks, everyone! The Horned Lark description fits very well, as does the Western Meadowlark. I never recalled seeing the golden breast of the Western, but I went back and zoomed in on the video I took yesterday and there’s a hint of yellow, but very blurry. I’m sure I’m seeing both of those birds in different situations.

I was out running my new pup yesterday and she stumbled across one. It was flitting around acting injured and I’m assuming we’d come across the nest and the adult was trying to distract. Looks like larks are ground-nesting birds, so that fits. I was trying to get video of the puppy when it happened, so I do have a few screenshots of the bird from that. I didn’t include them before because they are very, very blurry, but here they are.


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