BIRDS OF JACKSON CO., OREGON, & SURROUNDING AREAS 25 



Chaparral-Oak Community. It breeds in small rookeries (10-20 nests), 

 which change location north of Medford each year. Winter roosts of 

 5 to 10 birds have been found in Medford, Central Point, and Phoenix. 



Ixohrychus exilis. Least Bittej-n. 



■Specimen: 8.0 km SW Prospect, sex ?, August 10, 1959. The only 

 other record of this species in Jackson Count}'^ is the sighting of an 

 adult at Hoover's Lakes on Julj 29, 1961. Gabrielson and Jewett 

 (1940) list it as a breeding species in neighboring Klamath County. 



Botaurus lentiginosus. American Bittern. 



Three recent records exist for this bittern. One individual was 

 observed for 3 wk during September 1963, one was seen near Old 

 Military Bridge on May 30, 1963, and one was at Hoover's Lakes on 

 May 16, 1971. Gabrielson (1931) saw one at the headwaters of Big 

 Butte Creek on September 20, 1927. Gabrielson and Jewett (1940) 

 consider this species as an uncommon resident west of the Cascades, 

 including Jackson County, but on the basis of available records it 

 should be considered a rare migrant. 



Olor columbianus. Whistling Swan. 



This species is an uncommon to common regular migrant and winter 

 resident on large ponds and reservoirs throughout the Lower Rogue 

 River and Bear Creek valleys from November through March. It is 

 regularly recorded on CBC's in numbers from 5 to 24 individuals. 



Branta canadensis. Canada Goose. 



Specimen: 12.9 km SW Prospect, male, October 30, 1958. Photo- 

 graph: Hyatt Reservoir, pair with young, June 1964 (JH). This 

 goose is a very common to uncommon migrant and winter resident 

 that may be found on most waterbodies throughout the Lower Rogue 

 River Valley. It nests at Howard Prairie and Hyatt reservoirs. The 

 only summer record for the Lower Rogue River Valley is one observed 

 at Hoover's Lakes on July 28, 1961. 



Branta nigricans. Black Brant. 



Photograph: Game Ponds, March 1963 (JH). The only record is of 

 an adult photographed at the Game Ponds on March 14, 1963, 

 following a snowstorm (Browning, 1966b). Gabrielson and Jewett 

 (1940) have records of this straggler from the coast for Yamhill, Linn, 

 Klamath, and Douglas counties. Kebbe (1958a) reports this species 

 as occurring in the Klamath Basin but lists no specific records except 

 for one bird shot in Warner Valley 64.4 km east of Lakeview in Novem- 

 ber 1950. 



Anser albifrons. White-fronted Goose. 



There are several sight records of this rare migrant and winter 

 visitor in the Lower Rogue River Valley during January, April, May, 

 October, and December. 



