54 BIEDS OF THE PAPAGO SAGUAEO NATIONAL MONUMENT. 



A single great blue heron was seen flying over the river at Tempe 

 on June 2, and one or two others, from the stage, along the Salt 

 River some miles below the dam. The species doubtless nests all 

 along this stream wherever there are trees large enough to meet 

 its needs. 



BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON. 

 Nycticorax nycticorax nwvius (Boddaert). 



Recognition marks. The strongly contrasting colors, black crown 

 and back against the white neck and lower parts, will usually serve 

 to distinguish the adult of this species at any reasonable distance. 

 At close range a glimpse may be had of the long, slender, white 

 plume, depending from the back of the head down the neck. Young 

 birds, for the first year at least, are quite different in appearance, dull 

 colored, brownish or gray, and coarsely striped with dusky. They 

 also lack the white plume. Length about 26 inches; of more 

 " chunky " build than the great blue heron, with relatively heavier 

 body and not so long a neck or legs. 



Occurrence. There were a number of black-crowned night herons 

 present in the heronry at the head of the Tonto River branch of 

 Roosevelt Lake, and there can be no doubt, I think, but that the birds 

 were nesting there. They were not so numerous as the great blue 

 herons, with which they were associated, perhaps 20 birds, all told, 

 being seen during our visit to the colony. No nests were identified 

 with certainty as. belonging to this species, but none of them was 

 examined closely through fear of seriously disturbing the birds. 



While there may at times be uncertainty as to the identity of 

 herons seen at a distance, there can be no doubt about this bird once 

 it gives voice to its peculiarly unmelodious call note. The " squawk " 

 is known the country over to people who have never heard the more 

 dignified book name. 



The species is doubtless a permanent resident about Roosevelt Lake, 

 as it has been observed along the Verde River during the winter 

 months. 



BIRDS SEEN ON THE PAPAGO SAGUARO MONUMENT, ARIZONA, MAY 30 TO JUNE 4, 



1917. 



1. Killdeer (Oxyechus vociferus). 



- 2. Desert quail (Lophortyx gambeli}. 



- 3. Western mourning dove (Zenaidura macroiira marginetta). 

 4. White-winged dove (Melopelia asiatica trudeaui). 



- 5. Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura, septentrionalis) . 



6. Western red-tailed hawk (Buteo borealis calurus). 



7. American sparrow hawk ( Falco sparverius sparverius ) . 



8. Burrowing owl (Speotyto cunictdaria hypogcea). 



