The nest of an American kestrel was located in an abandoned woodpecker hole 

 in a Cottonwood snag immediately upriver from the falls (21). The nesting kestrel 

 and a common flicker were observed harassing each other on several occasions. 

 The flicker was nesting nearby. Success of the kestrel nest was not determined. 



Forty-eight species of birds other than waterfowl (including raptors) were 

 observed by the primary investigator and another 11 species were observed by 

 other researchers in the area (Table 1). Species observed included: raptors - 4, 

 grouse - 1, shorebirds - 4, pigeons - 2, swifts and hummingbirds - 3, kingfisher - 1, 

 woodpeckers - 3, and perching birds - 41. 



If a species was observed during January and February it was considered a 

 wintering bird. Eleven species were documented winter residents of the study area, 

 but the survey was not officially initiated until February; therefore, this figure 

 is likely an underestimate of the wintering birds present. Skaar (1975) indicates 

 that of the 59 species observed during this study, 30 (51 percent) winter in this 

 region of the state (Table 1). 



Winter transients were defined as those species which were observed on one 

 occasion sometime during the period from January to March 15. Although seven species 

 were classified as winter transients, Skaar (1975) indicates that all but the snow 

 bunting actually spend the winter in northwest Montana. 



Worthy of special note is the dipper population which winters at the falls. 

 On one occasion 11 dippers were observed feeding in the rushing water. The average 

 number of dippers observed during 11 trips to the falls was 6.25. Dippers move to 

 lower elevations to find fast water during winter; they do not migrate. Because of 

 this, the few available stretches of free-flowing white water become critical 

 wintering areas. Kootenai Falls constitutes such an area. 



Only the Vaux's swift was classed as a spring migrant. It was observed 

 once during the spring period. 



Following techniques described by Skaar (1975), 10 species were classed as 

 confirmed breeders while 20 were classed as circumstantial breeders and 13 were 

 classed as summer residents since evidence of breeding was not obtained. Of the 

 59 species observed during this survey, Skaar (1975) indicates that 36 (61 percent) 

 are confirmed breeders and another 10 (17 percent) are circumstantial breeders in 

 this region of the state. 



Observations of the ring-billed gull, rarely seen in this region of the state, 

 were made during June. An unverified sighting of the relatively rare band-tailed 

 pigeon was also reported during June (B. Martin, pers. com.). 



Table 4 reveals that 59 bird species were registered a total of 1277 times 

 according to sight or song. Sixty percent of the registrations were recorded in 

 the riparian type paralleling the river. This riparian floodplain area is the site 

 of the proposed reservoir and construction area. The remaining registrations were 

 noted in the coniferous forest sloping upward from the floodplain. The riparian 

 type was used by 76 percent of the species observed while the conifer type was 

 used by 51 percent of the species observed. Mapping of the territories of 26 

 bird species revealed that 85 percent of the species used the riparian type 

 exclusively or in combination with the coniferous type. Only 15 percent of the 



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