A bit more on Lark Sparrow. This is a really neat species. Most of the
time, when you flush a sparrow, it flies a few to a few dozen meters and
drops back into the grass or shrubbery. When you flush a Lark Sparrow, it
looks as if it's heading for the next county. This is the sparrow that you
see flying over you well above the ground, in long, looping undulations.
Of the bunting (emberizine) group, only wintering Snow Buntings and Lapland
Longspurs, in my experience, fly farther when flushed. I have concluded
from this that Lark Sparrows have *huge* breeding territories (or they're
very fearful birds), and I've wondered if this is a consequence of breeding
in relatively unproductive habitats. Or possibly they feed larger insects
to their young than do other sparrows, and you need more space to find more
large insects. Loggerhead Shrikes, which surely eat larger prey, have huge
territories in the same breeding habitat.

Lark Sparrows are very common to the NW of the Potholes Reservoir in
habitat much like that described by Andy, in the same area where
mockingbirds bred a few years ago. Their beautiful song, striking
coloration, and elusiveness make them my favorite sparrow.

Dennis Paulson, Director phone 206-756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax 206-756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416