Audubon’s Discovery of Colorado State Bird
Here is the description of how John James Audubon became acquainted with the Colorado State bird in his own words:
The lark bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys) was designated in 1931 as the state bird of Colorado. The Lark is a native to Colorado, but was also chosen due to it its acrobatic courtship dance, melodic song.
By John James Audubon
This species, of which there are in my possession several specimens, presented to me by my friend Mr. NUTTALL, was discovered by that zealous naturalist and his companion Mr. TOWNSEND on the plains of the Platte, and briefly characterized in the Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. From its general appearance, and especially from what is known of its habits, I consider it closely allied to the Rice Bunting, Dolichonyx oryzivora; I have adopted the appellation given by its discoverers, the latter of whom has favoured me with the following notice respecting it. The Prairie Finch inhabits a portion of the Platte country, in large flocks. It is strictly gregarious, and feeds upon the ground, along which it runs like the Grass Finch, Fringilla graminea, to which it is somewhat allied.
As the large flocks, consisting of from sixty to a hundred individuals, were started from the ground by our caravan in passing, the piebald appearance of the males and females promiscuously intermingled, presented a curious, but by no means unpleasing, effect. While the flock is engaged in feeding, the males are frequently observed to rise suddenly to a considerable height in the air, and poising themselves over their companions, with their wings in constant and rapid motion, they become nearly stationary. In this situation they pour forth a number of very lively and sweetly modulated notes, and at the expiration of about a minute descend to the ground, and course about as before. I never observed this bird to the west of the Black Hills. Mr. NUTTALL'S notice respecting it is as follows:--On the 24th of May, soon after crossing the north branch of the Platte, we met with this very interesting species of Fringilla.
The males associated in flocks with the Cow-birds, uttering a most delightful song. Towards evening in particular, we sometimes saw them in all directions around us on the hilly grounds, rising to a little height, hovering and flapping their wings, at the same time singing something like weet, weet, wt, wt, wt, notes betwixt the hurried warble of the Bob-o-link, and the melody of the Sky Lark. It is in short one of the sweetest songsters of the prairie, is tame and unsuspicious, the whole employment of the little band being an ardent emulation of song. FRINGILLA BICOLOR, Prairie Finch, Towns., Jour. Acad. Nat. Sc. Phil.,vol. vii. p. 189 PRAIRIE FINCH, Fringilla bicolor, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. v. p. 19. Adult Male. Bill short, robust, conical, compressed; upper mandible a little narrower, with the dorsal line very slightly convex, the ridge slightly prolonged on the forehead, the sides convex and bulging, the edges direct, the gap-line nearly straight, deflected at the base, the tip sharp and a little exceeding that of the lower mandible; the angle of the latter short and very broad, the dorsal line ascending and slightly convex, the back broad, the sides rounded, the edges inflected, the tip pointed. Nostrils basal, oval, in a very short deep depression, nearly concealed by the feather's. Head rather large; neck short; body full. Feet of ordinary length, rather strong; tarsus of moderate length, compressed, anteriorly covered with seven scutella, behind with two plates meeting so as to form a very thin edge; toes of moderate size, the hind toe stouter, the lateral equal. Claws rather long, arched, much compressed, laterally grooved, tapering to a very acute point. Plumage soft and blended, the feathers ovate and rounded.
