[458] BIRDS OF OREGON 



1875, along a willow-fringed stream, and later (Bendire 1877) found the 

 species to be an abundant summer resident. A few individuals winter 

 regularly in Klamath, Lake, and Harney Counties, usually about the 

 warm springs in which the country abounds or along some of the little 

 streams that have open areas throughout the winter. A few can likewise 

 be found along the Snake River in Malheur County. These few winter- 

 ing individuals are increased to an abundant number about mid-April, 

 and from that date to late September the Western Marsh Wrens are much 

 in evidence, audibly if not visually. One can seldom stop near a tule 

 patch without facing a vigorous scolding from this small denizen of the 

 marshes, though a long period may pass before a good look at it is 

 obtained. 



The curious globular nests are a common sight, though each nest by 

 no means indicates a breeding pair. On the contrary, each pair builds 

 several dummies in the vicinity of the real nest. No one has ever cer- 

 tainly accounted for all of this extra labor. Perhaps they are actually 

 dummies to attract attention away from the real nest. The explanation 

 has been advanced that at least one provides sleeping quarters for father 

 wren. At any rate they are there, and an intruder must pry into several 

 before rinding the handsome brown eggs. These are present from May 6 

 to June 2.0 and perhaps later. 



Tule Wren: 



Telmatodytes falustris paludicola (Baird) 



DESCRIPTION. "Top of head and triangular patch on middle of back black; middle 

 of crown washed with brown; back patch streaked with white; rest of back light 

 brown; middle tail feathers and tail coverts generally distinctly and continuously barred with 

 black; under parts soiled whitish, flanks brownish. Length: 4.50-5.75, wing 1.95- 

 2..2.Z, tail 1.80-1.05, bill .48-. 55." (Bailey) Nest and eggs: Same as for T. p. plesius. 

 DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds from southern British Columbia south along coast 

 to southern California. Winters south into Mexico. In Oregon: Permanent resident 

 and breeding species in suitable localities west of Cascades. 



THE TULE WREN is not an abundant bird in Oregon due to lack of suit- 

 able breeding sites. A few scattered pairs can be found along the Columbia 

 River from Portland to the Pacific and likewise along the Willamette. It 

 is even less common in the Rogue River Valley, although we have records 

 of it in a few places in Jackson County. Along the coast it is found in 

 scattered colonies in all counties from Clatsop to Curry, Tillamook and 

 Lincoln having the greatest population, in our experience. There the 

 birds are found along the tide flats wherever vegetation is rank enough 

 to furnish cover, although at Devils Lake they frequent the thick clumps 

 of wild rose bushes at the south end of the lake. The only eggs known 

 to us from the State are a set of five collected by Stanley G. Jewett, Jr., 

 at Devils Lake, April 2.9, 1933. 



