\ 



1921 BIRDS OF MONTANA 79 



tains. Hybridizes with the next species so that birds are seldom typical. The 

 following records of this species have been published: Seen west to the Mussel- 

 shell (Allen, 1876, p. 62) ; occasional on the Little Horn River (McChesney, 

 1879, p. 2391) ; upper ^Missouri (Baird, 1858, p. 119) ; one taken August 23, 1874, 

 at base of Rocky Mountains (Coues, 1874b, p. 618) ; Gallatin County, not com- 

 mon (Saunders, 1911a, p. 38) ; Divide Creek, Silver Bow County, April 17, 1910 

 (Saunders, 1912a, p. 26) ; common summer resident, nesting, Custer and Daw- 

 son counties (Cameron, 1907, p. 270). 



159. Colaptes cafer coUaris Vigors 



Red-shafted Flicker 



A very common summer resident throughout the state. East of the conti- 

 nental divide the majority of birds are hybrids with the last mentioned species 

 {C. auratus luteus), but most of such hybrids are nearer coUaj'is than luteus. 

 West of the divide the majority of birds are typical collaris. All observers rec- 

 ord this species as very common, and it is on the w^hole the commonest and most 

 widely distributed woodpecker in the state. It breeds mainly in the Transition 

 zone, in the Cottonwood groves of the prairies and valleys, in the pine hills of the 

 eastern half of the state, and on the lower mountain slopes of the western half. 



The migrations evidently take place in IMarch or early April, and in Novem- 

 ber. It is difficult to determine dates exactly because a few individuals winter 

 not uncommonly. Dates of arrival are : Bozeman, April 2, 1909 ; Silver Bow, 

 March 29, 1910; Bozeman, March 19, 1911; Choteau, April 7, 1912; Lewistown, 

 March 30, 1901 (Sillow^ay, 1903a, p. 36) ; Ilighwood, April 7, 1914 (DuBois, MS). 

 The only fall dates I have are from Bozeman, November 5, 1908, and Three 

 Forks, October 17, 1909. 



This species winters in small numbers in the western half of the state, and 

 evidently quite regularly west of the divide. I have noted it in winter at Living- 

 stone, Lombard, and Choteau. West of the divide it is reported as common in 

 the Bitterroot Valley in winter (Bailey, MS), and it is reported from Missoula, 

 December 25, 1915 (Kittredge, 1916, p. 39). 



This bird nests very commonly, but, as is true with some other common spe- 

 cies, dates of finding of nests or taking of eggs have not been put on record. 

 Young w^ere hatching on June 28 in the Belt Mountains (Williams, 1882a, p. 63). 

 A nest containing nearly full-grown young was found at Flathead Lake in late 

 July, 1915 (Saunders, 1916b. p. 82). 



160. Phalaenoptilus nuttalli nuttalli (Audubon) 



Poor-will 

 A common summer resident of extreme eastern Montana, and occurring 

 westward in the mountains, but much rarer there. One record west of the con- 

 tinental divide. Seen along the ^Musselshell (Allen, 1874, p. 62) ; Yellowstone 

 River, August 8, 1856 (Baird, 1858, p. 150) ; Big Horn Mountains, heard (Mc- 

 Chesney, 1879, pp. 2389-2390) ; Fergus County, in mountains to 7000 feet (Sillo- 

 way, 1903a, p. 37) ; Custer and Dawson counties (Cameron, 1907, p. 389) ; Galla- 



