Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library.
Contributed by Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley.
| www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
Behle
1934-
Salt Lake Airport, Salt Lake Co., Utah
June 16.
I spent from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. on the
salt flats west of the airport looking
for horned larks and met with
fair success. Nine were collected during
that time and many more seen.
Some were seen along the road in
bushes but mostly they seemed to
be on the ground resting in the
shade of clumps of Salicornia or
pickle weed. They had to be flushed
from these positions by approaching
within a few feet. When raised
they would proceed some 50 yards
by a slow undulating flight. At time
they would hop along the ground a
few times before taking off. They were
definitely paired, but two pairs might
be close together.
A few were observed feeding in open
spaces probably picking up seeds and
once I thought I saw a J scratch
the ground. Those birds feeding in the
open when approached would run quietly
along several yards away from you
and if still perched would take to
flight. In one J shot from a Sarcotatus
verniculatus bush a large spider was
noticed half eaten. Seeds were found in