Birds of Prairie Regions 7 



BIRDS OF THE WILLOW SHRUB ZONE 



Tyrannus tyrannus — Kingbird. Seen May 21, 1914. 



Agelaius phoeniceus i^hoeniceus — Red-winged Blackbird. Seven 

 nests of this species were found in the willow zone of a small pond 

 near Charleston on May 21, 1914. This had but three of the plant 

 areas, a cottonwood-willow center, the willow bush zone, and a 

 grass zone without buttonbushes upon it. The latter might have 

 furnished good concealment for nests of redwings, but there was 

 no evidence of nests there. The^ seven nests were all situated in 

 the thickest part of the willow growth and were from about five 

 feet to eight feet up. They were very similar in size, approxi- 

 mating 5x5 inches on the outside and 3x3 inches on the inside. 

 The contents of five examined contained from three to six eggs. 

 Dead grass and plant fibres were the chief materials in their 

 composition. 



Icterus sintriiis — Orchard Oriole. One seen in the willow zone on 

 May 21, 1915. 



Qtiiscalus quiscula aeneiis — Bronzed Grackle. A nest found in 

 one of the willows on May 27, 1912, about seven feet up. It was 

 a bulky structure seven inches high and contained two half grown 

 young birds. 



Spizella monticola monticola — Tree sparrow. A few seen among 

 the willows in January, 1914. 



Spizella pusilla pusilla — Field Sparrow. Several seen September 

 4, 1914. 



Dumetella carolinensis — Catbird. One seen here September 4, 

 1914. 



Toxostoma rufum — Brown Thrasher. Noted May 21, 1914, and 

 September 4, 1914, in this zone. 



BIRDS OF THE RUSH-FLAG ZONE 



Ixobrychus exilis — Least Bittern. One flushed May 23, 1915, in 

 the pond near Hillsboro. 



Tympaniichus americanus americamis — Prairie Chicken. One 

 flushed from the dead rushes April 15, 1915. At this time the 

 ground in the rush area was dry. 



Agelaius phoeniceus phoenlceus — Red-winged Blackbird. Rushes 

 were used to some extent by this species for nesting, but they pre- 

 fer to place their nests in bushes. On May 27, 1912, much search- 

 ing revealed only one nest in the rush region. This was about a 

 foot above the shallow water and contained three eggs. 



