BIRDS OP THE KANlSAS CITY REGION. 

 Haeey Harris. 



PREFACE. 



There has been no list of the birds of the Kansas City region 

 which local students of birds could consult. It is hoped that the 

 present summary of an extensive study of the avifauna of 

 Jackson County, Missouri, and vicinity, will be of service to 

 local nature-study classes, and to bird students in general. It 

 is hoped also that it may stimulate that scientific interest in 

 bird-study which is an active and powerful incentive to the 

 growing movement for bird protection. 



No attempt has been made to furnish a means of identifjdng 

 birds, since so many standard works covering this ground are 

 available. A list of desirable books is given in the text. The 

 nomenclature used is that of the American Ornithologists' 

 Union Check List. 



The total number of species and subspecies listed is 343. 

 This number includes 8 species that have become extinct in this 

 region, and 17 that occur here only as wanderers out of their 

 ranges. The summer residents — that is breeders — number 117, 

 of which 12 are very rare. The 9 species and subspecies indi- 

 cated in the text by brackets, have not yet been authenticated, 

 but they should occur here and are included to call the atten- 

 tion of local students to the possibility of establishing their 

 presence in this vicinity. 



Credit is due several local ornithologists for the generous 

 loan of notes and material which have greatly aided in the 

 working out of migration periods and in authenticating the oc- 

 currence of a few rare species. These courtesies are here ac- 

 knowledged with thanks. The greatest stimulus to the work 

 has been the field-«ompanionship of Mr. Ralph Hoffmann. The 

 vast fund of ornithological and book lore possessed by this en- 

 thusiastic and kindly naturalist has been a constant inspira- 

 tion. Mr. Dix Teachenor, an experienced taxonomist, has as- 



(219) 



