1C4 THE WILSON BULLETIN— September, 1921 



Western Kingbird Ti/raimus rcrficalis Say. 



Over the semi-arid plains and sandhill regions of western and 

 central Nebraska, from about the 100th meridian westward, and 

 in the Pine Ridge of northwestern Nebraska, the Western or 

 "Arkansas " Kingbird is a very common to abundant summer 

 resident and breeder. Eastwardly over the prairie region it oc- 

 curs in rapidly declining numbers to the Missiuri River, commonly 

 as a migrant but uncommonly as a breeder. 



Prior to about 1903 this Kingbird was a rather rare migrant 

 east of the 9Sth meridian. In fact, a few records from Omaha, 

 Lincoln and West Point, all of migrating birds, constituted 

 the total information at hand concerning its occurrence in the 

 eastern portion of Nebraska. Then in 1904 there were four rec- 

 ords of its having been seen in the more eastern counties, these 

 occasioning considerable interest. In 1905 it migrated through 

 eastern Nebraska quite commonly in May, eastward even to the 

 Missouri River, and this unusual influx was recorded by Swenk 

 (Auk. xxii. p. 320) with the observation that probably the spe- 

 cies was extending its line of migration to the eastward. Ap- 

 parently such was the case, for the Kingbird has since continued 

 to be a common migrant through eastern Nebraska each May and 

 September. 



This Kingbird arrives somewhat later than the common King- 

 bird. During the decade 1911-1920 the earliest date recorded at 

 Lincoln was May 4. At Neligh Gary found it arriving May 5 to 

 20 (Proc. N. O. U., i, p. 25). In Sioux County it is common by 

 May 18 (Crauford, Proc. N. 0. V.. ii, p. 77). In Nebraska nesting 

 takes place in June and July. Departure takes place in Sioux 

 County by about September 11 (Mickcl and Daicson. Aittca. xxxii, 

 p. 75). At Neligh the birds linger until September 10 to 20 (Cory, 

 Proc. \. 0. v.. i, p. 25). They are rarely seen at Lincoln after 

 the first few days in September. 



At about the same time that the Western Kingbird began to 

 be noted commonly during migrations in eastern Nebraska occa- 

 sional instances of its nesting in that part of the state began 

 coming to notice. As early as 1899 Cary had found it a rare 

 summer resident at Neligh, on the 99th meridian (Pruc. X. 0. U., 

 i, p. 25). Then on July 15, 1904, I. S. Trostler found a nest of 

 this species in the town of Niobrara, also on the 99ih meridian, 

 and later found three other pairs in that town which were also 

 with little doubt nesting. Four years later, on July 26, 1908, 

 R. H. Wolcott found a nest in a planted grove on the south side 

 of Capital Beach, near Lincoln, and the next season, 1909. foimd 

 two nesting pairs at the same place. Other instances of the nest- 

 ing of this Kingbird in eastern Nebraska have come to notice 

 with increasing frequency in subsequent seasons, and at the 



