[446] BIRDS OF OREGON 



acrobatic abilities are on a par with those of the larger forms. It is the 

 most abundant of the three found in its territory, and one often finds 

 mixed companies comprised largely of this species and chickadees, with a 

 few of either Slender-billed, or Rocky Mountain, and Red-breasted Nut- 

 hatches intermingled. They forage through the pines, the shrill high 

 voices of the pygmies often leading the observer to the group. 



Bendire (Brewer 1875) nrst reported this nuthatch, as he did so many 

 other eastern Oregon birds, and later (Bendire 1877) stated that it nested 

 in the Blue Mountains. Norris (18896) listed eggs from Fort Klamath 

 between May 3 and 18, 1888. Prill (i895a) stated that the species wintered 

 near Sweet Home, Linn County, although in the absence of other western 

 Oregon records we cannot help wondering about the correctness of this 

 identification. Walker (1917^ found a nest containing young on the 

 Warm Springs Indian Reservation on June 18, 1913. In addition to pub- 

 lished nesting records, Jewett found a nest 8 feet up in a yellow-pine 

 stump near Zumwalt, Wallowa County. It was lined with fur, feathers, 

 and wool, and contained eight eggs. When he tapped on the stump, three 

 adult birds emerged from the nest opening. Braly's egg data show four 

 nests taken at Sisters and Fort Klamath May 17 and June 10, and Patterson 

 (ms.) took nests in the same territory between May 2. and 16. 



Creepers: Family Certhiidae 



Rocky Mountain Creeper: 



Certhia familiaris montana Ridgway 



DESCRIPTION. Bill slender, sharp, and decurved, tail rounded, of rigid, sharp- 

 pointed feathers; claws greatly curved and sharp. Upper parts grayish, head and 

 back streaked conspicuously with white; rump tawny, under parts white, becoming 

 darker on the flanks. Si^e: Length 4.50-5.50, wing 1.5 6, tail 1.7 1, bill .75. (Adapted 

 from Bailey.) Nest: A mass of fiber and feathers, behind loosened bark on stumps 

 or dead trees. Eggs.- 5 to 9, white, spotted with brown. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds in mountains from central Alaska and Alberta 

 south through Rockies to Arizona and New Mexico. Winters south to Mexican 

 line. In Oregon: Permanent resident and breeding species of Blue Mountain area. 

 (See Figure 15.) 



THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN CREEPER is a permanent resident of the Blue Moun- 

 tain area, being found in Wallowa, Union, Baker, and Grant Counties, 

 and it probably occurs in the adjoining mountain districts of Umatilla, 

 Wheeler, Crook, Harney, and Malheur Counties. Curiously enough, the 

 first published record for the State was Jewett's (19090) from Baker County 

 and the second, Gabrielson's (ic^a) from Wallowa County, where it is 

 more abundant than elsewhere in the State. In winter many individuals 

 leave, but a part of the population remains throughout the year. We 



