[150] BIRDS OF OREGON 



Lake Refuge, on Klamath and Warner Lakes, and possibly on many other 

 small swamps east of the Cascades. Its nest, similar to other duck nests, 

 is made on the ground, frequently at some distance from the water's edge, 

 and is well concealed by the grass or low bushes. The 10 or 12. pale buff 

 to pale-greenish eggs are laid in the shallow depression, which is lined 

 with vegetable matter and with down from the mother's breast. As in- 

 cubation progresses, the amount of down is increased until the eggs are 

 well covered and concealed by it during the parent bird's absence from 

 the nest. 



In western Oregon, where the Shoveller appears in migration, it is most 

 common in November, so far as our own rather deficient records go, and 

 occasionally at least spends the winter on the Columbia River or the 

 larger bays of the coast. It is fairly common in the vicinity of Portland 

 during the fall hunting season and has wintered there on Reed College 

 Lake in the Eastmoreland Golf Course. 



Although this species feeds by tipping up, it can, on occasion, swim 

 well under water. A wounded female observed by Gabrielson in a small, 

 clear pond repeatedly crossed the pond under water and several times 

 endeavored to conceal herself in the vegetable matter at the bottom by 

 grasping a stem with her bill. When compelled to rise to the surface for 

 air, only the tip of the bill was protruded. Gabrielson concealed himself 

 and watched for some time; when the bird thought herself unobserved, 

 she swam away down stream so low in the water that only the very top 

 of the back and the end of the bill projected above the surface. 



Shovellers are not generally regarded as good table birds in this terri- 

 tory, as they are frequently in poor flesh during the hunting season. In 

 other sections of the country they are rated much higher. Their food 

 consists of buds and shoots of young water plants, species of other vege- 

 table matter, and a great variety of small aquatic worms, insects, snails, 

 tadpoles, and other animal matter frequently strained from the mud and 

 debris of the bottom by their specially adapted big bills. 



Wood Duck: 



Aix sponsa (Linnaeus) 



DESCRIPTION. "Bill narrow, higher than wide at base. Both sexes with drooping 

 crests. Adult male: bill marked with black, white, red, and yellow; head and crest 

 brilliant purple and green, with white stripes; throat white; chest rich chestnut, 

 with rows of white triangles; sides gray, with black and white bars and crescents; 

 shoulder crossed by black and white bars; rest of upper parts black, varied with rich 

 iridescent colors. Adult female: head dull grayish, glossed with green on crest and 

 crown; sides of head and throat white; chest brown, belly white; back richly glossed 

 grayish brown." (Bailey) Downy young: "Much darker above and paler below than 

 the young mallard; the lower mandible and the smaller tip of the upper mandible are 

 of a rich yellowish shade, which will serve to distinguish it from other ducks. The 

 crown is a very deep rich 'seal brown' or 'bone brown,' or halfway between these 



