ANAKTUVUK PASS 115 



up in the willows. Some apparently came from farther north and 

 generally they were heading slowly southward as they fed. By Sep- 

 tember large flocks in fairly steady movement were working their 

 way along the sides of the valley and its floor near Contact Creek. 

 By the end of September the main migration had apparently passed, 

 carrying great numbers of summer residents and migrants from the 

 north toward the south. 



In summer, resident hoary redpolls are the most numerous birds 

 near the willows. Because they spread over more territory they prob- 

 ably outnumber the tree sparrows. KedpoUs were more often seen in 

 higher branches in the willows than tree sparrows, and they also dwelt 

 as high in the Anaktuvuk Valley as the willows grew up along the 

 narrow canyons of the tributary creeks to at least 1,000 feet above the 

 Valley floor. Many redpolls and snow buntings were seen by Simon 

 Paneak on August 29, 1950, above the head of Kangomavik Creek, 

 an estimated 3,000 feet above the valley floor. He could not be sure 

 of the kind, but they were apparently migrating. 



In Nunamiut they are called Suhsangik^ a name which has no mean- 

 ing except redpoll. It does not distinguish exilipes from -flammea. 



Acanthis flammea flammea (Linnaeus) 



17 males May 15-July 24 weight (21), 10.2- 



15.0, average 12.9 



g. 

 6 females May 19-July 7 weight (9), 10.1-14.2, 



average 13.1 g. 

 1 yomig female Aug. 3 weight 12.S g. 



In view of the difficulty of making accurate distinction in the field 

 while the birds are in summer plumage, I cannot say to what extent 

 common and hoary redpolls mingle. 



None of flammea have been identified in the mountains earlier than 

 May 15, and I do not think that they remain there during winter. 



In Anaktuvuk Valley, I have found more of flammea near the dense 

 willows along Contact Creek than elsewhere, but I have specimens of 

 each redpoll from every region in which I frequently hunted. A 

 single flammea was collected among barren rocks at about 4,000 feet, 

 the highest elevation from which a redpoll was obtained, but I cannot 

 separate nor generalize upon the elevation of their ranges. It is my 

 impression that flammea is more often in the denser and larger willow 

 patches. 



On June 27, 1951, a nest with five eggs was found about 4 feet above 

 ground in one of the small willows along the river near Tuluak Lake, 

 situated about 50 feet from a nest of exilipes which I had found on 

 June 10. I could not be certain of the identity of the female, but a 

 male well colored with rose red occasionally came to feed her as she 

 sat on the nest. This bird was collected and identified in the U. S. 



