A History of North American Birds; Land Birds; Vol. 2 of 3Baird, Spencer Fullerton
Science
A History of North American Birds; Land Birds; Vol. 2 of 3
Baird, Spencer Fullerton
Birds -- North America
Dr. Cooper also found these birds around Fort Mohave in considerable
flocks about the end of February, but all had left the valley by the
end of March. About May 29 he found numbers of them towards the
summits of the Providence range of mountains, west of the valley, and
not far from four thousand feet above it, where they probably had
nests. They were also common in July on the cooler plains towards the
ocean, so that they doubtless breed in many of the southern portions
of California, as well as at Puget Sound and on the Great Plains. Dr.
Cooper states that in May or June the males rise almost
perpendicularly into the air, until almost out of sight, and fly
around in an irregular circle, singing a sweet and varied song for
several minutes, when they descend nearly to the spot from which they
started. Their nests were usually found in a small depression of the
ground, often under a tuft of grass or a bush. Mr. Nuttall started a
Shore Lark from her nest, on the plains, near the banks of the Platte.
It was in a small depression on the ground, and was made of bent
grass, and lined with coarse bison-hair. The eggs were olive-white,
minutely spotted all over with a darker tinge.
According to Audubon, these Larks breed abundantly on the high and
desolate granite tracts that abound along the coast of Labrador. These
rocks are covered with large patches of mosses and lichens. In the
midst of these this bird places her nest, disposed with so much care,
and the moss so much resembling the bird in hue, that the nests are
not readily noticed. When flushed from her nest, she flutters away,
feigning lameness so cunningly as to deceive almost any one not on his
guard. The male at once joins her, and both utter the most soft and
plaintive notes of woe. The nest is embedded in the moss to its edges,
and is composed of fine grasses, circularly disposed and forming a bed
about two inches thick. It is lined with the feathers of the grouse
and of other birds. The eggs, deposited early in July, are four or
five in number, and are described by Mr. Audubon as marked with bluish
as well as brown spots.
About a week before they can fly, the young leave the nest, and follow
their parents over these beds of mosses to be fed. They run nimbly,
and squat closely at the first approach of danger. If observed and
pursued, they open their wings and flutter off with great celerity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account