Nesting of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker in Florida 



( Campephilus principalis) 



By R. D. Hoyt 



F among all the feathered tribe there is a bird whose nest is more 

 difficult to locate than that of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker it be- 

 longs to some species with which I am unacquainted. 



For three seasons I have been among these birds at nesting 

 time, followed them through almost impassible swamps, camped with them 

 at night, and started with them again at daylight. I have had some of the 

 most expert woodsmen and trappers in my employ and withal, after three 

 seasons' hard work I have obtained but two sets of eggs, and these from the 

 same pair of birds. I, found some nesting places of the Ivory-bill in 

 November, 1902, but at that time I had no definite idea as to the time of 

 breeding. The trees in this part of the swamp showed several old nest sites 

 and a pair of birds could be seen there every evening. I got my friends, the 

 Brown brothers, to keep an eye on the birds and if possible locate a new nest, 

 but although they watched the birds closely it was not until March 4th, 

 1904, that they found the old birds feeding the young. 



Mr. Brown told me that these birds were the shyest and most cunning 

 of anything that wore feathers ; he would sit concealed for hours and watch 

 them, yet they must have known of his presence as they would go in and 

 out of every old nest in the swamp, but steer wide of the new one. After 

 this we had a definite time in which to look for the eggs, and on February 

 1st the brothers made a business of looking for a nest and before a week 

 passed they had one located, and on the 1 5th wrote me that the birds were 

 sitting, one going on the nest as soon as the other left it to feed. I at once 

 made ready and, accompanied by my friend, John Davy of Clearwater, we 

 started for Clermont in Lake Co., which we reached the following noon. 

 Here we procured a team and drove 15 miles to the swamp. The Brown 

 brothers were waiting for us and, getting out rubber boots, climbing irons, 

 pail and line, we soon got through the mile of swamp to the nest tree. All 

 was silent, but a blow on the trunk brought the male bird from the nest ; 

 he flew but a few feet to another tree, struck a few sharp blows and uttered 



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