Part 10

There are numerous geographic forms of this bird, which accounts for wide variation in colors and sizes. The Desert Song Sparrow is light while others are almost as rusty as Fox Sparrows. All Song Sparrows are heavily striped, and show a distinct spot in the center of the breast, and a dark line on each side of the throat. There is a gray stripe thru the crown and a broader line over the eyes.

They usually migrate in March and October but wintering birds often are found in the nesting range.

It’s plain to see Why you’re so clean. You take a bath In every stream!

Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus

Lapland Longspurs are birds of the far north, nesting as they do in the arctic and sub-arctic regions of both eastern and western hemispheres. They visit us only in the winter when deep snow and bitter cold drive them from their homes. Flocks of these sparrow-sized birds may be found in open fields, prairies and pastures, feeding on whatever seed or small grain is available. They run rapidly, ever on the search for more food, and may be joined by Horned Larks at good feeding spots.

They seem nervous and take wing frequently, circle here and there and often return to the same location. They have a rolling, erratic flight which reminds one of blowing leaves.

In breeding plumage these birds display a lot of color. The male has a black head and chest, rufous nape, back and sides heavily striped and a white belly. A buffy stripe behind the eye drops down the neck and backward along the sides of the chest. In winter you will see a brownish bird with blackish streaks and white under parts.

In their eagerness to return to their northern homes, Lapland Longspurs often suffer heavy losses because of wet spring snows. Their song is varied and sweet.

Like blowing leaves, You come and go Across the prairies Flecked with snow.

INDEX PAGE WHEN THE BIRDS MAY BE SEEN Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec.

Avocet 7 .. .. .... .... .. Blackbird, 20 .. ... Yellow-headed Bobwhite 5 oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo Chat, 19 oooo oooo oooo .... .... . Yellow-breasted Duck, Ruddy 4 .... .... ..oo oooo o... ...o oooo .... Egret, Snowy 1 .. .... . Flicker, 9 oooo oooo oooo XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX oooo oooo oooo Yellow-shafted Flycatcher, 11 .o oooo oooo oooo oooo .. Crested Gnatcatcher, 15 .ooo oooo oooo oo.. .... Blue-gray Goose, Canada 2 .... .... .ooo oo.. ... .... .... Grackle, Bronzed 21 .... .... oXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXoo oo.. .... Grosbeak, Blue 21 .... .... .... Gull, Ring-billed 8 .... .... .ooo oooo o. .... .ooo oo.. .... Hawk, Marsh 5 XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX oooo oooo oooo XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Heron, Green 2 . ..oo XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX oooo .. Kinglet, 16 .... .... ...o oooo oo. .oo oooo .... .... Ruby-crowned Longspur, Lapland, 25 oooo oooo oo.. ..oo oooo Merganser, 4 XXXX XXXX XXXo oo.. . . ..oX XXXX American Nuthatch, 13 .... .... .... .... .... . . .... .... White-breasted Oriole, Baltimore 20 .o XXXX XXXX XXXX oooo o. Owl, Great-horned 9 XXXX XXXX XXXX XXoo oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo ooXX XXXX Pelican, White 1 ..oo oo.. .... .. .. oooo oo.. Pewee, Eastern 11 .ooo oooo oooo oooo .... Wood Phalarope, 8 .. oo. . ... Wilson’s Pintail, American 3 oooX XXXX XXXo oooo .. . .... .ooo XXXX oooo Plover, Upland 6 ... oooo oooo oooo oooo . Siskin, Pine 22 .... .... .... oooo o. .... .... Snipe, Wilson’s 6 .. ...o oooo . .. .... .... Sparrow, Chipping 24 . oooo XXXX XXXX XXXX oooo .... .. Sparrow, Lark 23 . .ooo XXXX XXXX XXXX ooo. Sparrow, Song 25 XXXX XXXX XXXX Xoo. ... ooXX XXXX XXXX Sparrow, Vesper 23 .... .... .... .XXX . oooo .... .... Sparrow, 24 .... .... .... ..oo Xo.. .... .... .... White-crowned Swallow, Cliff 12 .oo XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXo .... .. Swallow, Tree 12 oooo o.. . .... ... Teal, Blue-winged 3 ..oo XXXX XXXX oo.. .o XXXX XXXo .. Thrasher, Brown 14 .... .... .... oXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX oooo oooo oo.. .... .... Thrush, 15 .o XXXo . ... .. Olive-backed Thrush, Wood 14 . oXXX XXXX Xo.. .... .... . Towhee, Red-eyed 22 .... .... .... oooo oooo oooo oo.. .... .... .... .... .... Vireo, Warbling 17 .o XXXX XXXX oo.. .... .... Warbler, Black 17 .o oooo .. .. and White Warbler, Wilson’s 19 .oo. .... Warbler, Yellow 18 .o XXXX XXoo oo.. ... .. Water-thrush, 18 . oooo . ... ... Northern Waxwing, Cedar 16 oooo XXXX oo.. .... .... .... .. .... ..oo oooo Woodpecker, 10 XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Red-bellied Woodpecker, 10 .... .... .... ..oo XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXo .... .... .... Red-headed Wren, Carolina 13 oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo Yellow-legs, 7 .oo XXXX Xo. . oooo oooo oo.. . Greater

. The dot or period indicates the bird is seen occasionally. o The small o shows the bird is seen more frequently. X The capital X shows the bird is seen commonly.

For example, during January and February, the Bronzed Grackle is seen rarely. The first week in March, it is seen more frequently, after which it is seen commonly until the middle of October. The table is based on bird census figures collected within a radius of 50 miles of Topeka, Kansas. Your area may show different results.

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Transcriber’s Notes

—Silently corrected a few typos.

—Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook is public-domain in the country of publication.

—In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by underscores.