j_54o] BIRDS OF OREGON 



country in small flocks, consisting of four or five streaked birds to one 

 adult male. They frequently sit in long rows on fences or telephone wires 

 and behave somewhat like goldfinches or siskins under the same condi- 

 tions. 



Alaska Pine Grosbeak: 



Pinicola enucleator alascensis Ridgway 



DESCRIPTION. "Adult male: Body mainly red, pinkish in winter, fading to gray on 

 belly; back with centers of feathers strikingly dark brownish; wings with two white bars, 

 whitish tips, and edgings; bill short and turgid, upper mandible only slightly longer 

 than lower. Adult female: top and sides of head and upper tail coverts tawny yellow, 

 dark centers of feathers of back distinctly brownish. Male: length (skins) 8.60-9.69, wing 

 4.41-5.00, tail 3.34-4.03, bill .55-. 60. Female: length (skins) 7.69-8.70, wing 4.48- 

 4.73, tail 3.46-3.84, bill .57-. 61." (Bailey) Nest: A loosely built structure of twigs 

 or rootlets, in coniferous trees. Eggs: Probably 3 or 4, greenish or bluish, spotted 

 with brown and black. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds in high mountains and Boreal zones from north- 

 western Alaska and northwestern Mackenzie to British Columbia. Winters south 

 into the Northern States from Minnesota to Oregon and Washington. In Oregon: 

 Irregular winter visitor to eastern Oregon. 



THE ALASKA PINE GROSBEAK is the commoner wintering form of Pine 

 Grosbeak in eastern Oregon, 14 of the 17 available specimens belonging 

 to this subspecies. These birds have been taken from Wallowa County 

 south to Malheur, Harney, and Klamath Counties, and they may be 

 expected to appear in any community during the winter months. They 

 are present between November (earliest date, November 19, Crook Coun- 

 ty) and March (latest date, March i, Wallowa County). 



Bendire (1877) first recorded the bird from Camp Harney, and Shelton 

 (1917) listed three winter specimens from Sisters. Alex Walker took a 

 number of Pine Grosbeaks in northern Malheur County in the winter of 

 1919-19x0, one of which has been identified as Pinicola enucleator flammula. 

 As this is the only record for the State and as we have some of the skins 

 from this flock that are clearly alascensis, both by coloration and measure- 

 ments, we are inclined to question the identification. 



While in Oregon, the birds are tame and unsuspicuous, usually allow- 

 ing a close approach as they feed on buds or dried fruits. The soft-gray 

 females and young males, the latter more or less washed with yellow on 

 the head, far outnumber the rosy males, and observers should look care- 

 fully for these duller-colored birds. 



Rocky Mountain Pine Grosbeak: 



Pinicola enucleator montana Ridgway 



DESCRIPTION. " Adult male: Light [carmine] red, head slightly tinged with yellow 

 and pink, and changing to ash gray on scapulars, belly, flanks, and under tail coverts; 



