Harris Birds of the Kansas City Region, 215 



the shrubbery of the yards. In any open space, such as Penn 

 Valley Park, Mount Washington or Forest Hill Cemetery, a 

 large number of migrants may be found. Swope Park is so ex- 

 tensive and so varied in character that almost every bird be- 

 longing to the Kansas City region may be found there either 

 breeding, wintering or passing through. A census of the birds 

 in Swope Park, made by Mr. A. E. Shirling, includes 150 spe- 

 cies, of which 73 species, represented by 2,025 singing males, 

 bred within the borders of the Park. 



The region about Kansas City probably compares favorably 

 with any section of the country in the number of birds that 

 are found at different seasons of the year. In only one respect 

 is the region unfavorable for certain groups of birds; it lacks 

 extensive marshes or reedy lakes where Rails, Marsh Wrens 

 and Bitterns could find the shelter in which they breed. There 

 are a few places, chiefly near the Missouri River, where such 

 birds have been found. In Platte County the shallow river- 

 lakes, such as Bean Lake, and Sugar and Mud Lakes at Ar- 

 mour, are covered in part with a growth of cat-tails. Here 

 Gallinules, Least Bitterns, Black Terns and Yellow-headed Black- 

 birds are fairly common. 



The increase of ducks and geese, since the passage of the 

 Federal Migratory Bird Law, has been noticeable. More ducks 

 have passed through, and, in many localities, several species 

 are remaining to breed, which formerly were driven off by 

 spring shooting. 



The larger birds, those which were hunted, and the birds of 

 prey which depend on the game birds for food and were them- 

 selves a mark for gunners, have diminished to a deplorable 

 extent. All the earlier naturalists noted the abundance of 

 waterfowl along the Missouri, and of game birds on its banks. 

 Canada Geese nested in the Missouri bottoms in the days of 

 Audubon, Wild Turkey and Prairie Chicken were everywhere 

 common. Eagles and Fish Hawks built bulky nests in the tall 

 trees in the bottom lands; Duck Hawks and Ravens had their 

 homes in the cliffs. 



Several species once plentiful or even abundant are now ex- 

 tinct, either in the whole country, or in the region covered by 

 this list. The Passenger Pigeon and the Paroquet have van- 



