458 NUTHATCHES AND TITS 



The long-tailed chickadee is common in the mountains of Montana, 

 and in Colorado breeds from 7000 to 10,000 feet, wintering, Prof. 

 Cooke says, on the plains and foothills, occasionally up to 8000 feet. 

 It is sometimes found with flocks of the mountain chickadee, and is 

 also common in willows along streams. 



735b. P. a. occidentalis (Baird). Oregon Chickadee. 



Top of head and back of neck glossy jet black, back dark gray, tinged 

 with olive brown ; sides of head clear white, in sharp contrast to black of 

 head and throat ; median under parts white, contrasting with tawny brown 

 sides. Length : 4.50-5.25, wing 2.35-2.60, tail 2.30-2.55. 



Bernarks. — The Oregon chickadee differs from the long-tailed in darker 

 coloration and shorter tail. 



Distribution. — Northwest coast region from Sitka to northern Califor- 

 nia. 



737. Parus sclateri Kleins. Mexican Chickadee. 



Top of head and back of neck jet black, sides of head clear white ; black 

 of throat spreading fan-shaped over chest; median under parts white, con- 

 trasting' with dark gray of sides. Length : 4.70-5.20, wing 2.60-2.80, tail 

 2.25-2.40. 



Distribution. — Mountains of southern Arizona and Mexico to Orizaba. 



738. Parus gambeli Bidgw. Mountain Chickadee. 



Throat and top of head jet black ; black of head broken by white super- 

 ciliary line ; sides of head white ; back gray ; median iinder parts grayish 

 white ; sides dark gray, tinged with light brown. Length : 5.00-5.75, wing 

 2.70-3.00, tail 2.40-2.60. 



Distribution. — Breeds in Canadian and Transition zones of the moun- 

 tains tbroughout the western United States as far east as the eastern slope 

 of the Rocky Mountains, and from British Columbia south to Lower 

 California. 



Nest. — In an old woodpecker hole or natural cavity, 3 to 15 feet froiji the 

 ground, usually lined with rabbit fur. Eggs: 5 to 9, plain white or 

 spotted with reddish brown, chiefly around the larger end. 



The whistles of the mountain chickadee are perhaps the com- 

 monest notes heard in the forests of the Sierra Nevada. In the 

 usual forms of the whistle either the one long note is followed by 

 two or three short notes — pha'-de-de or phod' -de-de-de, or else the 

 long note stands between the short notes, as de-de-pli(&' -de-de. 



Gambeli is a typical chickadee in all its motions, making short 

 tilting flights from one treetop to another, and clinging upside down 

 to the tips of the branches. It is an unsuspicious little friend, most 

 pleasant to meet in the dark coniferous forests, alwaj^s ready with a 

 cheery word. 



It makes a snug nest in some old woodpecker hole. The female 

 usually sits very close. Dr. Merrill says, and when disturbed ' keeps 

 up a constant hissing so much like that of some snakes, that no 

 prudent squirrel would venture to enter the hole.' 



