The Birds of El Paso County, Colorado S9S 



County and it is rather unusual to run across one. It seems to 

 be nearly confined to the mountains and foothills, but it has 

 occasionally been seen within the city limits of Colorado 

 Springs. When seen it is usually in company with the chicka- 

 dees and nuthatches. It ranges as high as there is timber ; was 

 noted at Lake Moraine December 11, 1906. 



SJtta carolinensis nelsoni. Rocky Mountain Nuthatch. 



Resident in the mountains ; common. 



This representative of the White-breasted Nuthatch is 

 frequently seen in the foothills and mountains, and is also 

 common on the Divide. In winter it drifts somewhat farther 

 out to the bluffs, and has also been seen in Colorado Springs. 

 A pair seen at Buttes May 12-20, 1908, by Aiken, were 

 thought to be breeding. 



Silta canadensis. Red-breasted Nuthatch. 



Resident in the mountains ; not common. 



This is by far the least common of our three species of 

 nuthatch, and sometimes a year or more goes by without seeing 

 one, and again it may be seen rather frequently. It seems to be 

 mainly a mountain bird, but Aiken noted it at Fountain June 

 5, 190+, and May 7, 1905 ; he also saw it at St. Peter's Dome 

 July 4, 1907. 



Sitta pygmaea. Pygmy Nuthatch. 



Resident ; common. 



This little fellow is the most abundant of our nuthatches, 

 seen in flocks when the others are seen singly. Like the others 

 it is essentially a mountain bird, but in the winter wanders 

 somewhat away from the foothills. It is found on the Divide 

 and noted at Palmer Lake and Eastonville ; also seen at 

 Austin's Blufifs in winter. It frequents evergreen trees almost 

 exclusi\'ely and is but rarely found in other kinds, and then 



