The Vesper Sparrows 



The Meadowlarks, to be sure, have been romping about for several weeks 

 and getting bolder every day; but they are roisterous fellows, drunk with 

 air and mad with sunshine. The winter-sharpened ears wait hungrily 

 for the poet of common day. The morning he comes a low sweet murmur 

 of praise is heard on every side. You know it will ascend unceasingly 

 thenceforth, and spring is different. 



Vesper Sparrow is the 

 typical ground bird. He 

 eats, runs, sleeps, and 

 rears his family on the 

 ground; but to sing — ah, 

 that is different! 

 Nothing less than the 

 tip of the highest sage- 

 bush will do for that; a 

 telegraph pole or wire is 

 better; and a lone tree in 

 a pasture is not to be 

 despised for this one pur- 

 pose. The males gather in 

 spring to engage in decorous 

 concerts of rivalry. The song 

 consists of a variety of simple, 

 pleasing notes, each uttered two or 

 three times, and all strung together to 

 the number of four or five. The charac- 

 teristic introduction is a mellow whistled 

 he-ho, a little softer in tone than the succeeding notes. The song of the 

 western bird has noticeably greater variety than that of the eastern. 

 Not only is it less stereotyped in the matter of pitch and duration, but 

 in quality and cadence it sometimes shows surprising differences. One 

 heard in Washington, near the 49th parallel, would have passed for 

 Brewer's on a frolic, except for the preliminary "hee-ho's"; Heeoo heeoo 

 heeoo buzziwuzziwuzzi wnzziwuzziwuzzi weechee weechee. And it would 

 not be surprising if he had learned from Spizella breweri, who is a constant 

 neighbor and a safe guide in matters of sage lore. The scolding note, 

 a thrasher-like kissing sound, tsook, will sometimes interrupt a song if 

 the strange listener gets too close. Early morning and late evening are 

 the regular song periods; but the conscientious and indefatigable singer 

 is more apt than most to interrupt the noontide stillness also. 



Since this species is a bird of open country and uplands, it cares 

 little for the vicinity of water; but it loves the dust of the country roads 



Taken in 

 Mono 

 County 

 Photo by 

 the Author 



MT. MORRISON 

 (Alt. 12,245) 



IN THE FOREGROUND 



(alt. 7300) A TYPICAL 



HAUNT OF THE 



WESTERN 



VESPER 



SPARROW 



243 



