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WINTER BIRDS OF THE OKANAGAx\ 

 DISTRICT B. C, 



By Allan Krooks. 



During two seasons spent hunting and collecting in the 

 Okanagan district I was very much surprised to note the abun- 

 dance of bird life in winter as compared with Central Ontario, 

 which has a correspondingly severe winter. Not only were there 

 a greater number of species actually wintering there, but the 

 numerical strength of representative species was greatly in excess 

 of such species allies in Ontario. 



I might also have included in the list such species as Wes- 

 tern Robin, and Varied Thrush as I noticed these several times 

 at a very late date, after the snow had fallen. 



I spent most of my time between Okanagan and Arrow 

 Lakes in lat. 50 a district including every variety of country from 

 sage brush to bunch grass and scattered pines {Pinus pond^rosa) 

 to the heavily timbered mountains. 



The altitude of Vernon is about 1240 ft. 



WiNiER Residents of the Okanagan District, 13. C, 



iEcHMOi'HORUS occTDENTALis. Western Grebe. A few remain all winter. 

 CoLYMBUS HOLBCEi.Ll. Holboells Grebe. Common. 

 COLYMBUS AURITUS. Homed Grebe. Common. 

 Larus glaucescens. Glaucous — winged Gull. 



" californicus. California *' 



"■ delawarensis. Ring-billed " 



These were the only gulls identified during the winter months. 

 Phalacrocorax. Sp? I noticed an immature cormorant on Okanagan Lake, 



January 'q8. 

 Merganser americanus. American Merganser. .A.bundant. 

 Merganser serrator. Red-breasted Merganser. Rare. 



LoPHODYTES cucuLLATUS. Hooded Merganser. -Scarce during winter months. 

 Anas boschas. Mallard. A few Mallards winter in neighborhood of Vernon ; no 



other fluviatile ducks observed during winter months, though Widgeon and Pin- 

 tail may remain. 

 Aytiiya vallisneria. Canvas-back. 



" AMERICANA. Red-head. 



" MARILA NEARCTICA American Scaup. 



" AFFiNis. Lesser Scaup. 



" COLLARIS. Ring-necked duck. 



.'Ml of the above were identified, and associate together on Okanagan Lake. 



