Lark Bunting
I hesitated to post this poor picture, but it is Life Bird #255, so...
Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocarys) is not a lark, and it is not a bunting. It is a sparrow, and for some reason, it is Colorado's State Bird. This is the first one I have seen in six trips to the Denver area. I asked a park ranger why this small, uncommon bird would be a state bird. Her explanation was that it is fairly common in the eastern agricultural areas of the state, where most of the state legislators were from when the lark bunting was chosen.
This bird was only seen for the few seconds needed to take this picture in the grasslands of Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. And then, it flew off not to be seen again.
Lark Bunting
I hesitated to post this poor picture, but it is Life Bird #255, so...
Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocarys) is not a lark, and it is not a bunting. It is a sparrow, and for some reason, it is Colorado's State Bird. This is the first one I have seen in six trips to the Denver area. I asked a park ranger why this small, uncommon bird would be a state bird. Her explanation was that it is fairly common in the eastern agricultural areas of the state, where most of the state legislators were from when the lark bunting was chosen.
This bird was only seen for the few seconds needed to take this picture in the grasslands of Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. And then, it flew off not to be seen again.