[430] BIRDS OF OREGON 



WHEN WE WROTE our Birds of the Portland Area (Jewett and Gabrielson 

 19x9), we based our statement that the Northwestern Crow was a com- 

 mon bird along the Columbia on two specimens (one taken by Gabrielson, 

 November n, 192.0, and one by Jewett, November 4, 192.3) that happened 

 to be the only Portland skins in our possession at that time. Since then, 

 numerous specimens have been taken along the Columbia, and only two 

 (both taken February 16, 192.9) are of this race. All of the breeding 

 birds and most of the wintering population are Western Crows. Because 

 of the confusion of the two races in literature, we cannot segregate any 

 individuals other than those listed above from among the records of 

 more abundant forms, but the Northwestern Crow undoubtedly occurs 

 down the Columbia as a winter visitor, and persistent collecting at 

 Astoria would doubtless reveal it to occur there and along the Clatsop 

 beaches at least as frequently as it does at Portland. 



Pinon Jay: 



Cyanocephalus cyanocephalus (Wied) 



DESCRIPTION. "Head not crested; bill cylindrical; nostrils exposed; tail nearly 

 square, much shorter than wings; feet stout, claws large, strong, and much curved. 

 Adults: almost uniform grayish blue, brightest on head; throat with white streaks. 

 Young: dull grayish blue, lighter beneath. Length: 10.00-11.75, wing 5.70-6.00, tail 

 4.80-4.85." (Bailey) Nest: A bulky mass of twigs and bleached grasses, well lined 

 with wool, moss, hair, and feathers. Eggs: 3 to 5, bluish white, covered with small 

 specks or wreathed around the larger end with coarser spots. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds from central Washington, Idaho, and Montana 

 south to Lower California, Arizona, and New Mexico, in juniper and pinon-pine 

 belt that lies east of Cascades and Sierra Nevadas. In Oregon: Common permanent 

 resident of juniper belt that begins near Redmond and Prineville and extends south 

 and southeast to Klamath Falls and Lakeview. Abundant in four counties, Klamath, 

 Lake, Deschutes, and Crook, and noted in Harney, Malheur, Wheeler, Wasco, and 

 Marion. Casual west of Cascades. 



THE PINON JAY is the characteristic bird of the great juniper forests of 

 central Oregon, where it roams the country in straggling flocks that feed 

 and behave exactly the same as those of Clark's Nutcracker. Like the 

 latter, it is a sociable bird and may be found in flocks throughout the 

 year, even breeding in scattered colonies. This soft-blue, short-tailed jay 

 was first reported by Newberry (1857) from Deschutes County. Bendire 

 (1877) listed it from Camp Harney; Merrill (1888) stated it was a visitor 

 at Fort Klamath; Miller (1904) saw it in Wheeler County in 1899; Walker 

 (1917!)) listed it from Deschutes and Wasco Counties; and Peck (191 ib) 

 recorded two specimens from Salem on December zi, 1910, the only 

 known appearance of the species west of the Cascades. 



No definite nesting records for the State were known until Braly (193 1), 

 who has done a great deal in the last few years to increase our knowledge 

 of the breeding habits of this species, published his notes, showing it to 



