What is the Colorado State Bird?
Lark Bunting is the state bird of Colorado. The Lark Bunting was titled as the state bird of Colorado in 1931. The scientific name of Lark Bunting is Calamospizamelancorys. It is a medium sized American sparrow. Lark Buntings can be found in the plains, prairies, meadows and sagebrush. In winters they live in cultivated lands, brushy areas and desert.
The male lark bunting executes an outstanding wooing flight while singing a unique mating song. The color of a breeding male Lark Bunting is jet black and it has wings. In winter male lark bunting’s color is changed to a gray brown. The male looks more like the female bird at that time.The Lark Bunting is the only sparrow to change feathers for winter. There has been a huge decrease in the population of the Lark Bunting with the loss of natural habitat.
State Bird of Colorado Facts —
- Common name: Lark Bunting
- Scientific name: Calamospizamelancorys
- Habitat: Plains, prairies, meadows and sagebrush. Winter in cultivated lands, brushy areas and desert
- Diet: seed, leaves, flowers, catkins, grain, poison oak berries, caterpillars, beetles, mites, snails
- Song and Calls: complex series of repeated, rich, whistled phrases with rattles and trills
- Weight: 30-51 g
- Length: 14-18 cm
- Wingspan: 28 cm
- Average lifespan: 8-10 years
- Incubation period: 11-12 days
The Colorado state bird Young Lark Buntings flock together. They remain on the upbringingplaces longer than the grownups.Lark Buntingssometimes gather to drink the water which is in the water tanks arranged for livestock. The water can be useful for the buntings but the water tank can be a hazardous place for the bird. Hugeamount of buntings easily drown in the water tanks. The tanks which has mats of algae are very dangerous. Buntings are hunted by domestic cats there too.It was reported that a cat in Kansas caught 17 Lark Buntings in a single day.
Lark Buntings live typically 8-10 years. The oldest Lark Bunting on record was a male, and was at least 4 years, 10 months old when he was found in Arizona.Lark Buntings live in plains, prairies, meadows and sagebrush. They stay in cultivated lands, brushy areas, and desert during the cold months. Buntings eat mainly insects, seeds, grain, and some fruits.Their nest are free bowl of grass, good roots, and plant stems. They arewrinkled with adequate grasses or hair. The nests are located in tight spot on the ground. Generally in rim level with ground or under bush. Buntings feed on the ground.
They strictly avoid feeding under cover.According to the North American Breeding Bird Survey Lark Bunting populations deteriorated by 5.4% every year between 1966 and 2014. It resulted in a snowballingdecay of 93%. Lark buntings build their nests on the ground in grassy areas and under shrubs. The nests look like an open cup with profound sides.
Buntings lay between 2 and 6 pale blue eggs at a time.Breeding male Buntings are black with white wings. On the other hand the female Buntings are dull gray and white striped. Adult male alternates are black plumage and large wing patch. Adult female alternates are brownish head with pale super cilium, brown streaked back, white under-parts with heavy streaking, blackish wings with brown edges and white wing patch. The basic and undevelopedfeathersare similar to female.The law entitling the lark bunting as the official Colorado state birdis Section 24-80-910 (Lark bunting) of the Colorado Revised Statutes, specifically.
Title 24 (GOVERNMENT – STATE – STATE HISTORY, ARCHIVES, AND EMBLEMS) Article 80 (STATE HISTORY, ARCHIVES, AND EMBLEMS) Part 9 (STATE EMBLEMS AND SYMBOLS) Section 24-80-910.
References:
http://www.ereferencedesk.com
https://www.allaboutbirds.org
