THRUSHES, BLUEBIRDS, AND SOLITAIRES: Family Turdidae [ 477 ] 



wing 3.80-4.15, tail 1.95-3.40, bill .5 5-. 60." (Bailey) Nest: On or near the ground, 

 made largely or entirely of leaves. Eggs: Usually greenish blue, occasionally with a 

 few faint brown spots. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds from southern British Columbia, central Alberta, 

 central Saskatchewan, southern Manitoba and northern Wisconsin south to central 

 Oregon, Nevada, Utah, northern New Mexico, and central Iowa. Winters in South 

 America. In Oregon: Rather uncommon summer resident of Blue Mountain area, of 

 which we have too few records to accurately determine range or season. 



THE ONLY published reference to the Willow Thrush as an Oregon species 

 is Jewett's (19135) note of a specimen taken June 2.4, 1908, by Wm. L. 

 Finley near Burns. There is a skin in the Biological Survey collection 

 taken by Jewett at Howard, June 10, 1915, and two in his own collec- 

 tion, one obtained by Ralph Hoffman at Enterprise, July n, 192.5, and 

 one that he himself took on Hart Mountain, May 2.6, 192.7. Preble noted 

 the species at Elgin while he was there from May 2.1 to 30, 1896, and at 

 Fossil, Wheeler County, in June 1896; and he^and Bailey found it at 

 Prineville, June 13 to 2.6, the same year. Preble also found the bird at 

 Disaster Peak, Malheur County, on June 10, 1915. These are all the 

 available notes from Oregon to date, and this scarcity of records empha- 

 sizes the need for more systematic collecting in the State. 



Western Bluebird: 



Sialia mexicana occidentalis Townsend 



DESCRIPTION. "Adult male: Upper parts dark purplish blue and chestnut; throat 

 purplish blue; breast dark rufous; rest of under parts mixed brown, dull purplish and 

 gray. Adult female: head, neck and upper parts gray, washed with brown on back; 

 rump and tail bright blue; outside tail feathers edged with white. Young: Like 

 young of sialis, but slenderer. [Plate 81, A.] Male: length 6.50-7.11, wing 3.95- 

 4.45, tail 1.61-3.05, bill .45-. 50. Female: wing about 4, tail 1.50." (Bailey) Nest: 

 In woodpecker holes or natural cavities, or in bird houses. Eggs: 3 to 6, pale blue. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds from southern British Columbia, northern Idaho, 

 and western Montana south to southern California. Winters through much of its 

 range. In Oregon: Permanent resident and breeder west of Cascades. Summer resi- 

 dent east of that range. 



THE WESTERN BLUEBIRD (Plate 82.) is a permanent resident and breeder in 

 western Oregon, where it vies with the robin for first rank as a dooryard 

 bird. Although not so abundant in the State east of the Cascades, it is a 

 summer resident and common species there, arriving in March and remain- 

 ing until October (earliest date, February 12.; latest, November 17, both 

 Klamath County). A nest box will be more certain to attract this species 

 than any other, and once established, the birds are likely to remain and 

 produce at least two broods. Their gentle nature, clear, musical calls, 

 and bright colors make them favorites with all, and any other bird that 

 presumes to intrude upon a pair of bluebirds using a nest box erected for 

 their benefit will doubtless draw down the wrath of the person who 



