The genus ''Leistes'' are predominantly South American
grassland
A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge ( Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur natu ...
birds called meadowlarks. The genus was previously lumped with the North American meadowlarks in the genus ''
Sturnella
The genus ''Sturnella'' are North American grassland birds called meadowlarks. The genus was previously lumped with the South American meadowlarks now placed in the genus '' Leistes''.
It includes two or three species of largely insectivorous gr ...
''.
It includes five species of largely
insectivorous
A robber fly eating a hoverfly
An insectivore is a carnivorous animal or plant that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which can also refer to the human practice of eating insects.
The first vertebrate insectivores we ...
grassland birds. In all species the male at least has a black or brown back and extensively red underparts.
List of species
There are five widely accepted members of the genus.
Taxonomy
By the early 20th century, the meadowlarks were split. Only the "yellow-breasted" meadowlarks (eastern and western meadowlarks, including Lilian's) remained in the genus ''Sturnella''. The red-breasted and white-browed meadowlarks were moved to the genus ''Leistes'', while the pampas meadowlark, Peruvian meadowlark and long-tailed meadowlark made up the genus ''Pezites'', which was established by
Cabanis Cabanis is the surname of:
* George Cabanis (1815-1892), American politician
*Jean Cabanis
Jean Louis Cabanis (8 March 1816 – 20 February 1906) was a German ornithologist.
Cabanis was born in Berlin to an old Huguenot family who had moved from ...
in 1851. By the late 20th century, all meadowlarks were lumped in the genus Sturnella. In 2017, all the red-breasted meadowlarks were merged into the genus ''Leistes''.
References
Sources
*
* ''New World Blackbirds'' by Jaramillo and Burke,
Further reading
*
External links
Sturnella videos, photos and soundson the Internet Bird Collection
{{Taxonbar, from=Q21953133
Bird genera
Taxa named by Nicholas Aylward Vigors