The Birds of El Paso County, Colorado 465 



SURVEY OF BIRD LIFE. 



The bird life of El Paso County is of a very varied char- 

 acter, nearly all the groups of birds found in the State being 

 represented, while the number of species is a goodly one, 276 

 all told. The fact that within our limits all the life zones of 

 the State are represented has naturally much to do with this. 



That the various species of water birds are not specially 

 abundant is due to the lack of suitable localities to attract 

 them, and any incnease in the number of artificial reservoirs 

 along the base of the mountains or on the plains will surely be 

 followed by an increase in the number of waterfowl coming 

 to the region and stopping for a short time at least. 



Among the grouse we note the absence of the Ptarmigan, 

 of whose occurrence in the County there is no authentic rec- 

 ord. This is due to the fact that the Pike's Peak Range is an 

 isolated one, not connected with the other high ranges of the 

 State, or rather not by any mountains sufficiently high to afford 

 a continuous habitat for this Alpine bird, and moreover the 

 area in the Pike's Peak Range which would be attractive to it 

 is very limited, so that it is not strange it has not gained a 

 foothold here. 



Two of our Gallinaceous birds have been exterminated 

 within the last forty years, the Sharp-tailed Grouse and Wild 

 Turkey. 



Birds of prey are well represented, both in species and 

 individuals, and the type locality of one subspecies, Aiken's 

 Screech Owl, is within the limits of the County. The Wood- 

 peckers have a good number of species. The Poor-will and 

 Nighthawk and one or more Hummingbirds are commoik. 

 Flycatchers of various species are numerous, the Magpie ana 

 several jays are noticeable, and the Icteridcc are represented 

 by blackbirds, the Meadowlark, and Bullock's Oriole. 



Sparrows of course show many species, a tanager is com- 

 mon, about all the swallows of temperate North America are 

 here, and a couple of vireos. The list of Warblers is fairly 



