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88 PACIFIC COAST AVIFAUNA No. 14 



176. Empidonax trailli trailli (Audubon) 



Traill Flycatcher 



xV coninion summer resident of western Montana, west of the eontincntal di- 

 vide. Occurs more rarely on the east side of the divide, and intergrades with 

 alnorum eastward. This species is common at Flathead Lake (Silloway, 19()la, 

 ]). 56), bnt not anywhere else in the state. It is not recorded from the Bitterroot 

 Valley. It may be commoner than supposed, however, bt'ing a species that is 

 easily overlooked. It has been recorded as a rare summer resident in the follow- 

 ing localities: Gallatin County (Saunders, 1911a, p. 39); northern Lewis and 

 Clark County (Saunders, 1914a, p. 134) ; Lewistown, one taken August 30, 1898 

 (Silloway, 1903a, p. 39). 



The spring migration takes place in ]May, the fall movement is prol)ab]y in 

 August, for there seem to be no dates later than this. Dates of migration are as 

 follows: Bracket Creek, Gallatin County, IMay 2], 1909, one bird taken wiiich is 

 an intergrade between this form and alnorutn ; Choteau, May 24, 1912. August 

 dates are the one above at Lewistown, and one from Gold Creek, Powell County, 

 August 27, 1910. 



The nest has been found only at Flathead Lake, where the bird breeds very 

 commonly in the thickets of alder, willow and thorn that line the edge of the lake 

 and the banks of riyers and streams. A nest containing three young was found 

 July 8, 1902 (Silloway, 1903b, p. 297). On July 27, 1915, I found two nests of 

 this species at Poison, along the banks of the Pend Oreille River, near the outlet 

 of Flathead Lake. The nests were in thorn bushes, and about twenty-five feet 

 apart. Each nest contained five young ready to leave, in fact they left at my 

 neai" approach. 



177. Empidonax trailli alnorum Brewster 



Alder Flycatcher 

 Probably a rai'e summer resident of extreme eastern xMontana, intergrading 

 with trailli westward. This form is stated to breed in eastern Montana (Ameri- 

 can Ornithologists' Lnion, 1910, ]). 21()), and it i)robably does so. ])ut 1 know of 

 no definite published breeding record. Taken at Fort Keogh, June 8 (Thorne, 

 1895, p. 215) ; seen at Terry, May 18, 1894, and :\Iay 11 to 19, 189() ((^amei-on. 

 1907, p. 392). An intergrade between this form and traiJJi was t:iken on lii-ack- 

 ett Creek, Gallatin County, May 21, 1909 (Saunders, 1911a, !>. 39). it is st;ited 

 to be ''pretty generally distril)ut('d . . . through . . . Montana" (Bendire. 

 1895, p. 305), but no si)ecifi(' Montana occurrence is cited. 



178. Empidonax minimus (W. M. & S. P. IJaird) 



Least Fl,^•(;ATCHER 

 A conuHon sumnuu- rt'sident in th(> ( astern hall" of the state, evidently in- 

 creasing in numbers, and slowly spreading its range westward. ft has l)een 

 found ])ractic;dly throughout the state, but is still i-;irc west of the coniiiiciital 

 divide. All early writers report this species as rare, oi- not couuiioiL but the most 

 n^cent observations show that in suitable localities it is now abundant, ll bi-eeds 



