[552-] BIRDS OF OREGON 



Josephine, and eastern Clackamas. It arrives in May (earliest date, April 

 2.7, Malheur County) and remains until September (latest date, September 

 2.3, Jackson County). The westernmost records we have are at Welches, 

 below the west base of Mount Hood (John Carter), May 13, 1933, 

 Mackenzie Bridge (Shelton), Mosquito Ranger Station, Jackson County, 

 July 2.7, 19x6 (Gabrielson Collection No. 1518), and Bolan Mountain, 

 Josephine County, August 18, 1933 (Jewett Collection No. 7953). 



The species breeds in late May and June. Jewett's only records are two 

 nests that he discovered on Hart Mountain, July 13, 1931 (4 eggs), and 

 July 2.5, 1932. (4 eggs). Both were in low bushes within a few inches of 

 the ground, and the former was lined with porcupine hair. Patterson 

 (ms.) reported nests May 2.3 and 2.7, and June 6, 192.3, in southern Oregon. 



The trim, alert Green-tailed Towhee is a somewhat shy bird, although 

 its ringing song and catlike call notes are familiar sounds of the sage 

 country. When in song it will usually be found perched on the topmost 

 twig of a bush or low tree, from which vantage point it is quick to depart 

 when an intruder approaches. 



Nevada Towhee: 



Pipilo maculatus curtatus Grinnell 



DESCRIPTION. "Adult male: Head, neck, and chest black; back black, more or less 

 mixed with olive gray; belly white; flanks reddish brown; wings and tail with 

 extensive white markings; wing bars and white edgings of primaries sometimes form- 

 ing a conspicuous patch, and scapulars heavily streaked with white; white on outer 

 tail feather covering more than half exposed portion beyond coverts (1.30-1.70). 

 Adult female: Black, replaced by dull olive brown; back streaked with black; throat 

 and chest grayish brown; white markings obscured. Young: streaked with black 

 over brownish ground above, buffy below; lighter in female; markings of wings and 

 tail as in adult, more or less restricted on wings." (Bailey) Si%e: Length (skins) 

 7.11-8.16, wing 3.Z2.~3.6o, tail 3.604.2.1, bill .48 .60, white spot in outer tail 

 feather i.o2.-i.2-5. Nest: A substantial structure of twigs, leaves, and grass, lined 

 with grass or rootlets and placed on the ground or in brush piles and low bushes. 

 Eggs: 4 or 5, pale greenish or bluish, finely speckled with brown and lavender, 

 especially on larger end. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds from central British Columbia to eastern Oregon, 

 Nevada, and northeastern California. Winters south to southern California. In 

 Oregon: Fairly common breeding species and less common winter resident that we 

 have found in every county in eastern Oregon from eastern base of Cascades to Idaho 

 line. (See Figure 18.) 



THE NEVADA TOWHEE has appeared in literature under a variety of names 

 as the conception of subspecies has shifted about, the distinction becom- 

 ing more finely drawn with each succeeding change. It is a safe assump- 

 tion, however, that resident birds from the eastern half of the State that 

 we have found in every county from the eastern base of the Cascades to 

 the Idaho line belong to this race as it is now defined. 



Under the name P. m. oregonus, Newberry (1857) listed the birds of the 



