From the book

“ . . . he launches into the slight breeze, rowing his wings rapidly at first as he rises to fifteen feet, showing off his white wing patches. The wingbeats become deeper and more moth-like, the tail spreads to show white tips, and then he sings . . .”

“The song in flight is rich and complex, delightfully rhythmic and mellow, the tempo slow with cardinal-like slurs alternating with sparrow-like buzzes. With one or two song flights per minute hear how they all begin with the same phrase or two, but after that he arranges his ten or so different phrases so that no two songs sound alike.”

In these two minutes and 20 seconds, listen to the variety of songs this male lark bunting sings. The last song is special, a 20-second extravaganza sung on the wing. The background sounds of cattle inform of the grassland habitat, as do background songs of grasshopper sparrows and western meadowlarks, both open country birds.