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Montana's state bird, the Western Meadowlark (Sturnelia neglecta),
is known for its loud, cheerful chirps. About as big as a robin,
it has a bright yellow chest and throat under a black collar.
Between 3 and 7 white eggs with purple and brown spots are laid in its
nest on the ground. The eggs only take 2 weeks to hatch. It
can be found in open meadows in the Midwest and West. Lewis and
Clark were the first to write about the western meadowlark back in 1805,
but it took until 1931 to be selected as the state bird. Their
peculiar flight habits, several short, rapid wing beats alternated with
brief periods of sailing, also make the western meadowlark very
recognizable. The perennial Bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva)
was adopted in 1895 as the Montana state flower. One of the
loveliest of wildflowers, the exquisite white or rose-pink blossoms
appear from spring to summer. Native Americans used its roots for
food and trade. Tribes dug up the roots and dried them so they
could be kept and used for months. The root was too bitter to eat
unless it was cooked, and it was usually mixed with berries or meat.
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Click on pictures to
enlarge
for printing and coloring
Source: Annika
Bernhard,
Dover
Publications
and the Internet
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