[ 400 ] BIRDSOFOREGON 



through the long summer days, long after the spring bird chorus has 

 broken up into a few scattered individual singers that are comprised 

 largely of the wood pewees and some of the vireos. 



Despite its ability to adapt itself to variable conditions, this pewee 

 shows a definite preference for the glades and parks of the more open 

 coniferous forests and is most abundant in such areas. It frequents also the 

 smaller timbered patches along the watercourses and the artificial groves 

 about farmsteads. It has been noted by us or given in the manuscript 

 records of other members of the Biological Survey in every county in the 

 State. It arrives in May (earliest date, April 2.7) and remains until the 

 last of August (latest date, September 14). Baird (Baird, Cassin, and 

 Lawrence 1858) listed it from the Columbia River, the first record defi- 

 nitely assignable to the State. 



The nests are usually saddled on a horizontal limb of a tree anywhere 

 from 6 to 7 feet up to 50 feet from the ground, and nest building is some- 

 what late, occupied nests being found mostly in late June or July. Avail- 

 able records range between May 16 and July 2.7 for nests containing eggs 

 or partially grown young. Bendire (1895 a), wn nrst recorded the species 

 as an Oregon breeding bird, reported nests with eggs at Fort Klamath on 

 July 7, 1882., and July 18, 1883. 



Olive-sided Flycatcher: 



Nuttallornis mesoleucus (Lichtenstein) 



DESCRIPTION.- "Adults: Under parts with whitish median tract between dark, somewhat 

 streaked lateral farts, white sometimes faintly tinged with yellow- upper parts sooty, 

 conspicuous tuft of white cottony feathers on sides of rump (usually concealed by wings). 

 Young: similar, but wing coverts tipped with buffy, or brownish instead of white. 

 Length: 7.10-7.90, wing 3.90-4.50, tail 1.80-3.50, exposed culmen .58-. 70, tarsus 

 .5 5-. 60." (Bailey) Nest: Saddled on coniferous branches, usually high above the 

 ground, skillfully woven of vegetable fibers. Eggs: Usually 3, creamy white, 

 generally with a wreath of brown and lavender spots about the larger end. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds from central Alaska, Mackenzie, Manitoba, Quebec, 

 south in coniferous forests of western United States to Mexican borders and in 

 eastern mountains to North Carolina. Winters in South America. In Oregon: 

 Common summer resident of forested sections. 



THE RINGING CALL of the Olive-sided Flycatcher, thrown out as he sits 

 on the topmost twig of a giant conifer, typifies all that is wild and free 

 and untamed in the great spire-pointed forests of spruce and fir that 

 clothe the mountain slopes of the State. No other bird note, save the 

 clear peal of the Loon coming through the fog of early morn across a 

 mountain lake or the ringing bugle call of the Pileated Woodpecker 

 flung out in the gray dawn of the heavy forests, can stir such unnamed 

 primitive emotions and arouse in the sensitive listener so strong a desire 



