ANDERSON — THE BIRDS OF IOWA. 373 



Genus SITTA Unn^us. 

 337- (727)- Sitta caroliyicmis Lath. White-breasted Nuthatch. 



The White-breasted Nuthatch is a common resident through- 

 out the year in all parts of Iowa. It is perhaps more commonly 

 noticed in winter, when it is frequently seen creeping over tree- 

 trunks in door-yards, uttering a peculiar nasal quank, qtiank, as it 

 peers into crevices in the bark. The species nests rather earl}^ 

 usually in the latter part of April or first of May, in a natural or 

 ex cavated cavit}' in a tree, at some distance from the ground. 

 Keyes and Williams (Birds of Iowa, p. 158) record taking a set of 

 five eggs April 15, 1880, from a cavity thirty feet from the 

 ground in a large white-oak. The nest was visited quite fre- 

 quently for the next two or three weeks — until fifteen eggs had 

 been taken out. 



338. (728). Sitta canadensis Linn. Red-breasted Nuthatch. 



The Red-breasted Nuthatch is reported as a rather rare and 

 somewhat irregular migrant in most portions of Iowa, and only re- 

 ported as tolerably common by Peck (Blackhawk), Kelsey (Pow- 

 eshiek), Johnson (Polk), Keyes (Linn), and Giddings (Jackson). 

 They are more commonly observed in fall, recorded from Septem- 

 ber 21 to October 23 (Scott), October 13-31 (Linn), and I have 

 taken one specimen as early as August 30 (Winnebago), though 

 the species is most common in September. Wilson reported it in 

 spring from May i to 10 (Scott). The Red-breasted Nuthatch 

 was reported in summer from Polo, in northern Illinois, and at 

 Newton, in central Iowa, it was recorded as a resident (Cooke, 

 Bird Migr. in Miss. Val., 1884-85, p. 276). Dr. C. Hart Merrian 

 is of the opinion that these summer records need verification. 



Family PARID^E. Titmice or Chicadees. 



The Titmice are, superficially, very much like miniature Jays 

 in appearance, but are all small birds, hardy, and very slightly 

 migrator}'. They are somewhat gregarious after the breeding 

 season and wander through the woods in scattering groups, ex- 

 ploring branches, twigs, crevices of bark, leaf-buds, and in winter 

 picking at fruit which still hangs on the branches. 



[Proc O a S Vol, XI.I 50 IJaii 24, 1907 ] 



