Winter Birds of Colorado. 44^7 



in small parties o£ two or three during the winter^ and is a 

 resident all the year round. 



Other members of the same family constantly seen about 

 our valley are the large and handsome Crested Jay {Cyano- 

 citta stelleri diademata) and the Woodhouse Jay (Aphelo- 

 cuma ivoodhoKsd), both noticeable for their bright plumage 

 and harsh cries. The Colnnibian Nutcracker [Nucifraga 

 Columbiana) and the White-headed Jay (Perisoreus cana- 

 densis capitalis) seldom, if ever, descend from the higher 

 elevations so low as 6000 ft. 



Of the smaller birds, by far the most numerous along the 

 valley and wherever there is shelter are the Juncos, some- 

 times called Snow-birds. We have no less than six species 

 of this geuuSj all tolerably common. Only one {Junco 

 caniceps) breeds in Colorado (at high elevations), the others 

 (/. aikeni, J. shufeldti, J. mearn4, J. hyemalis, and J. montanus) 

 are only winter-birds. They are always in large flocks, 

 several species generally keeping together, the commonest 

 being perhaps the Pink-sided {J. mearnsi) and the Black- 

 headed (J. shufeldti). Every morning when I look out I see 

 large numbers of them on the ground pecking round in the 

 straw and manure with which the lawns and garden are 

 covered up in winter. 



Almost equally common are the two Chickadees or Tits 

 [Farus yambeli and F. atrlcapillus septentrionahs), which 

 climb about among the Cotton-trees, and apparently secure 

 some insect-nourishment among the twigs and winter buds. 

 They are both resident throughout the year. Another 

 common winter-visitor is the handsome Western Tree- 

 Sparrow {Spizella tnonticola uckracea), which can almost 

 always be recognised by the black patch in the middle of its 

 grey chest. It is often in company with the Juncos, but is 

 less terrestrial in its habits. 



The Western Meadow- Lark is generally placed among 

 the summer residents of Colorado, and no doubt the great 

 majority of the birds do go south, but a few certainly winter 

 with us, and during the last mouths (November to March) I 



