Winter Birds of Colorado. 4-1-5 



now on tlie i^taff of the Federal Biological Survey at 

 Wasliingtou *. lu the sumniary coiitaiaed in the final 

 supplement published in 1900, the total number of species 

 of birds met with in Colorado is given as 387 ; since then 

 about 20 additional fortns have been recorded, bringing the 

 total up to 407. Of these, 93 are resident throughout the 

 year, Ji3 are regular Avinter visitors, 243 are breeding 

 summer residents, while the balance is made up of migrants 

 and stragglers. 



The observations which I have to make are on the residents 

 and winter-visitors, and have been made either in the town of 

 Colorado Springs or in the immediate neighbourhood. This 

 town is situated on the extreme western eilge of the open 

 plains at an altitude of 6000 ft., while immediately to the 

 west again are the foot-hills of the Rockies, culminating in 

 Pike's Peak (14,147 ft.) about twelve miles distant, so that 

 every condition is to be found for a most varied Avifauna. 



In the town itself the only bird which is able to hold its 

 own against the ubiquitous European Sparrow is the House- 

 Finch {Carpodacus wexicanus frontalis), very conunon every- 

 where throughout the year. The male is a handsome bird 

 with crimson on the head and run)p, and has a very sweet 

 song, so that it is a great favourite with bird-lovers. It is 

 found chiefly about the gardens and grass-plots in the 

 residential parts of the town, and frequently nests in or 

 about the verandahs and covered porches with which most 

 of the houses are provided. I have often watched it 

 contending with the Sparrows for scraps, and it stems 

 quite able to take care of itself. 



Occasionally during the winter we have a visit from the 

 AAestern Evening Grosbeak [Coccvthruustes vc.sjiertinus 

 luontanus), a large and beautiful species with brigjit yellow 

 front and wing-bands. This bird is somewhat of a wanderer 

 and has been found in Colorado in almost every month of 

 the vear, though only on one occasion has it been detected 

 nesting. Another visitor of somewhat similar habits is the 



* ' JUrds of Colorado,' by W. \\'. Cooke, Bull. no. o7 of lliu :^ta(^• 

 Agiicultund J^xpcriujeut SLati'jii, .Muix-h \b\)7. 



