[ii8] BIRDS OF OREGON 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Formerly from southern British Columbia, southern Sas- 

 katchewan, and northwestern North Dakota south to northeastern California, New 

 Mexico, and northwestern Nebraska. Now exterminated or greatly reduced over 

 much of its range. In Oregon: Formerly over all of eastern Oregon, with possible 

 exception of Wallowa County, for which we have found no records, but now greatly 

 restricted and confined to big sagebrush counties of southeastern part of State, over- 

 flowing in small numbers into some adjoining counties. 



THE LORDLY SAGE HEN, largest and most magnificent of the North Ameri- 

 can grouse, has been greatly reduced in numbers in Oregon in the past 

 few years. Up to 192.0, a wonderful population of these great birds 

 remained on the slopes of Hart Mountain in eastern Lake County, but at 

 that time they were suddenly reduced in numbers, possibly by disease, 

 almost to the point of extermination. Since about 192.5, they have been 

 slowly building back in the more isolated sections but nowhere have they 

 reached their former abundance. Overgrazing, shooting, and the opera- 

 tions of natural enemies, combined, are apparently too much for these 

 birds, and their future in this State does not look bright. They will 

 probably have the best chance on Hart Mountain, which is now a Federal 

 game preserve designed primarily to protect antelope and Sage Hens. 



There have been for years a few small remnants of these magnificent 

 birds in Union and Baker Counties that showed some tendency to build 

 up in numbers. The hoggishness of a few local "sportsmen" in demand- 

 ing and getting an open season, however, effectually blocked any hope 

 that the Sage Hens might again become a common sight in these counties. 

 There are still a few birds in Silvies Valley and also on Big Summit Prairie 

 east of Prineville, but, aside from these scattered groups, the birds are 

 in the vast sagebrush area of southeastern Oregon. We have found them 

 in recent years most plentiful in Malheur, Harney, and Lake Counties, 

 with small numbers in Crook, Deschutes, and Baker Counties. They 

 may possibly be found in Klamath County also, as there have been, 

 within the past few years, a few birds near the Oregon-California line on 

 the east side of Lower Klamath Lake that might easily enter Oregon at 

 times. 



Townsend (1839) ^ rst reported the Sage Hen from Oregon, and New- 

 berry (1857) and Suckley (1860) reported it as a common bird. Bendire 

 (1892.) took many sets of eggs during his stay at Camp Harney, the dates 

 varying from April 4 to May 2.8. Since those times there has been much 

 written about these great grouse, both in Oregon and elsewhere, as they 

 attract the attention of everyone visiting their haunts. 



Early in the morning with the first golden streamers of light in the 

 eastern sky, the Sage Hens come to water, flying with alternate periods 

 of flapping wings and sailing to alight one hundred or two hundred yards 

 back from the stream or pond. In the dim light they become invisible 

 as soon as they land, but an occasional head, bobbing against the sky line 



