Horned Larks in Colorado Springs, Colo. 



By E. R. WARREN 



With photographs from nature by the author 



THE winter of 1902-3 was severe in Colorado, and during 

 January and February enough snow lay on the ground about 

 Colorado Springs to prevent the Horned Larks, which are 

 numerous on the plains, from finding their usual supply of seeds. Hunger 

 drove them into the city by thousands. Great flocks were on the 

 down-town streets, feeding on anything in the shape of grain they could 

 find, many being found about the grain- and feed -stores picking up the 

 waste grain. Many people threw out millet and other seeds for them, and 

 they soon learned to flock to those places. 



In Alamo Park were two or three places about twelve feet in diameter 

 where seed was thrown to them, and when there was nothing there the 

 birds would be sitting about on the snow waiting. As soon as food was 

 thrown on one of these places it would at once be so covered by the birds 

 that not a bit of ground would be visible, only a mass of birds, fighting 

 and struggling incessantly and keeping up a continual chirping. 



Next to our house, in the north part of the city, is a vacant lot which 

 was overgrown with weeds, and here the Larks came. I put millet out for 

 them at a place where 1 could conveniently watch from the library window, 

 and the birds soon found it. For several weeks they were about more or less 

 of the time. It was a good place to set the camera and many exposures were 

 made. But the birds are rather pugnacious and continually fighting, and it 



HORNED LARKS IN COLORADO SPRINGS 



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