Bird Life of North Dakota 49 



the lake. It was also seen at all of the locaHties worked. This is a very- 

 beneficial species, eating many injurious insects, seeds and wild fruits. 



163. Colaptes cafer collaris Vigors. Red-shafted Flicker. 



Hoffman, 1882, p. 401 ; during the whole month of September at Fort Berthold, 

 McLean County. Bendire, 1895, p. 134; ranges east to North Dakota. CouES, 1897, 

 p. 24; June 12, Harris saw several red-shafted woodpeckers near Fort Union: p. 41; 

 June 19. Harris and Bell brought a new bird like our common golden-winged wood- 

 pecker, but with a red mark instead of a black one along the lower mandible. In a 

 foot-note Dr. Coues says, here is the original nidification of the curious flicker of 

 the Upper Missouri region, which Audubon named Picus ayresii. It is the Colaptes 

 hybridus of Baird, in which the specific characters of the golden-winged and red- 

 shafted flickers are mixed in every conceivable degree and which later puzzled 

 Audubon; p. 71; Audubon says: "On July i, Harris and Sprague brought in the 

 most curious set of five birds that I ever saw and which I think will puzzle all the 

 naturalists in the world. These all belonged to one nest and were all differently 

 marked." 



Mr. Russell Reid reports that the species is frequent about Bismarck 

 and that a pair nested on the High School grounds at Bismarck last May. 

 He had seen hybrids of this and liiteus. 



But one specimen was seen in life, at Williston, near the Missouri River, 

 June 7, 1 92 1. At Grafton I saw a mounted specimen in the Williams Col- 

 lection taken by Henry Williams on December 3, 1919. It was seen in the 

 locality some time before it was taken. The form is no doubt very rare in 

 that part of the state. 



164. Antrostomiis vociferiis vociferns (Wilson). Whip-poor-will. 

 Coues, 1878. p. 613; although no specimens of this bird were taken, its unmis- 

 takable notes were heard every night in June at Pembina, assuring him of its pres- 

 ence in numbers in the heavy timber of the river bottom. This locality is very near 

 its northern limit and it probably is not found any distance west of the Red River. 

 Abbott, 1880, p. 984; heard on one occasion at Pembina. Bendire, 1895, p. 146; 

 the whip-poor-will occurs west to eastern North Dakota. Judd, 1917, p. 19; Mr. 

 Conners reported he both heard and saw this bird on his yard fence in Cando. 

 Freeman, 1919, p. 13; rare summer resident, heard along Red River. 



Alfred Eastgate records it from Larimore, Grand Forks County. Jime. 

 1912. I did not see or hear this species at Devils Lake or the Turtle 

 Mountains. 



165. Phalcenoptilus nuttalli (Audubon). Poor-will. 



HaydEn, 1863, p. 157; though rarely seen, this bird seems to be generally dis- 

 tributed throughout the Upper Missouri country. CouEs, 1893, p. 171 ; Lewis and 

 Clarke caught a whip-poor-will of a small and uncommon kind, October 17, 1804. 

 In a foot-note Coues says that this is the bird first named and described by Audubon, 

 Orn. Biog., V. 1830. page 33^ as Capriiniilgns nuttalli, or Nuttall's whip-poor-will. 

 Bendire, 1895, p. 153; poor-will ranges to southern North Dakota. Ridgway, 1914, 

 p. 550; northwest North Dakota. 



While at Medora, June 14-23, this bird was heard a few evenings, giving 

 its peculiar call, but none were seen. 



t66. Chordeilcs virginianns virginianus (Gmelin). Nighthawk. 



Coues. 1878, p. 613; occurs in summer throughout the whole region surveyed 

 and is in most places very common. Judd, 1917. p. 19; common summer resident. 

 Freeman. 1919, p. 13; very common summer resident, May 22. 



