[34] BIRDS OF OREGON 



californicus calif ornicus), a dark-colored kangaroo rat (Dipodomys heermanni 

 gabrielsont) that frequents the chaparral areas, and forms of the wood rat 

 (Neofoma), meadow mouse (Microtus), pocket gopher (Thomomys), and 

 white-footed mouse (Peromyscus) peculiar to the Upper Sonoran Zone. 

 Here, too, that queer character, the ring-tailed cat (Bassariscus astutus), 

 that appears to be part skunk and part raccoon, finds its northern limit. 



Among the birds (scientific names are given in the individual accounts 

 of each), the California Woodpecker, Oregon Brown Towhee, Sacramento 

 Towhee, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Oregon Titmouse, California House 

 Finch, Bendire's Screech Owl, and Valley Quail are characteristic. Long- 

 tailed Jays and Long-tailed Chats are abundant, but these two and some 

 others of their hardier brethren extend into the Transition Zone of the 

 Columbia River bottoms at Portland, though in greatly diminished 

 numbers. 



East of the Cascades, the Upper Sonoran spreads out as a great irregular 

 blotch on the map of north-central Oregon, with islands scattered all over 

 the rest of the eastern half of the State. This more arid section does not 

 have such a variety of characteristic plants. The most widely distributed 

 and easily recognized is the common sagebrush {Artemisia trident ata), 

 which is almost the universal ground cover in this gray landscape except 

 for the stream bottoms. In good soil, it grows into miniature trees but 

 on poor soil and in areas of scantier moisture is smaller and more widely 

 spaced. Although this species extends upward into the Transition Zone, 

 where it mingles with other hardier sages, it is neither so robust nor so 

 abundant on the higher lands and is characteristically Upper Sonoran. 

 On the lower, more alkaline areas, particularly the extensive flat playas 

 of southeastern Oregon, is the greasewood (Sarcobatus vermiculatus), rabbit- 

 brush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus and C. viscidiflorus), wild currant (Kibes 

 aureuni), and bitterbush (Purshia tridentata). Barely reaching into the 

 State are a few of the saltbushes {Atriplex), which farther south become 

 such a conspicuous part of the desert flora. Associated with these are 

 other shrubs and a host of annual and perennial plants adapted to the 

 difficult conditions of life on these semidesert areas. 



Characteristic mammals of this arid Upper Sonoran are the black-tailed 

 jack rabbits (Lepus), the Piute squirrel (Citellus mollis moll is), species of 

 kangaroo rats (Perodipus) and pocket mice (Perognathus), a kangaroo 

 mouse {Microdipodops megacephalus oregonus), and forms of the pocket 

 gopher (Thomomys), wood rat (Neofoma), and white-footed mouse (Pero- 

 myscus) peculiar to the area. In extreme southeastern Oregon, the little 

 antelope squirrel {Ammospermophilus leucums leucurus) may be found run- 

 ning about the thickets of greasewood and rabbitbrush in such places as 

 Warner Valley and the flat valley north of McDermitt, Nevada. 



Breeding birds of the great alkaline lake areas that belong in the Upper 

 Sonoran Zone include the Cinnamon Teal, White-faced Glossy Ibis, Black- 



