A meadowlark species was found on the Herbster Christmas Bird Count in northwestern Bayfield County back in December 2013. Amazingly, it continued at a residential feeder daily through the 2014 Great Backyard Bird Count but was finally found dead in late February. Though unfortunate, this offered a rare opportunity to determine species. Many fall/winter meadowlark records in Wisconsin are falsely assumed to be Easterns b/c this is the most common spring/summer meadowlark in the state. However, a closer look at records with enough detail reveals a high probability of Western at this time. Sure enough, the Herbster bird proves to be a Western based on tail pattern, showing extensive white only on two outermost rectrices (vs. 3-4 in Eastern) and distinctly barred central rects (vs. blobby bars connected by black along the shaft in Eastern). In the first pic here, Pyle hit the nail on the head - Figure C is Eastern, while Fig. D is Western. Last pic shows posture in which the bird was found, indicating it probably could just no longer keep up with this winter.