SOSEATE SPOONBILL 263 



Voice — (?) 



Nest — In colonies in tropical swamps; a platform of sticks placed in a 

 tree or shrub. 



Eggs — Usually 3, nearly elliptical in shape, measuring in inches, 2.44 to 

 2.82 by 1.63 to 1.71 (in millimeters, 62.0 to 71.5 by 41.5 to 43.5), and averag- 

 ing 2.56 by 1.67 (65.0 by 42.5) (twenty eggs in TJ. S. National Museum) ; color 

 dull white or pale greenish blue with various brown markings (Reed, 1904, 

 p. 90). 



General distribution — North and South America, from Texas, Louisiana, 

 Florida, and Georgia south to Patagonia and the Falkland Islands; formerly 

 casual north to Pennsylvania and the lower Ohio Valley (Indiana and Illinois) ; 

 more rarely to California, Colorado, Kansas, and Wisconsin (A. O. U. Check- 

 list, 1910, p. 91). 



Distribution in California — Very rare summer visitant from the south. 

 Has been definitely reported as follows: Several times as far north as San 

 Francisco (Gambel, 1849, p. 222); one seen near San Bernardino, June 20, 1903, 

 and one seen flying overhead at Riverside, in 1902 (Stephens, 1904, p. 139) ; 

 along Colorado River near Palo Verde, Imperial County, during summer months 

 of 1913 (Leo Wiley, in letter) ; but no California-taken specimens are known. 

 Rumors are current of its presence in the Imperial Valley in the summer of 1909. 



The Roseate Spoonbill is typically a far southern bird, breeding in 

 abundance in portions of Mexico, Central and South America. In the 

 United States it is to be found as a resident in the Gulf region only. 

 In summer, stragglers have occurred as far north as Pennsylvania, 

 Wisconsin, Kansas, Colorado, and California. 



For some time the Roseate Spoonbill in California was known only 

 from the statement of Gambel (1849, p. 222), that "small flocks of 

 this beautiful bird have several times extended up the coast even as 

 far as San Francisco." Although Cooper (1877, p. 95) has expressed 

 misgivings as to Gambel's identification, more recent confirmatory 

 evidence to a degree tends to substantiate it. 



The following notes by Stephens (1904, p. 139) are to our knowl- 

 edge the only published records of the Roseate Spoonbill in California 

 within late years : 



Mr. E. B. Herron tells me that he saw a Roseate Spoonbill standing in a 

 pond about four miles south of San Bernardino on June 20, 1903. It was 

 feeding in the pond near the road and paid no attention as he drove past 

 within gunshot. At first he thought it was a Wood Ibis, (Tantalus, looulator) 

 but on coming near he saw the pink tinge of the plumage and the spatulate 

 bill. On his return the next morning he brought a gun, but the bird was gone. 

 On mentioning the matter to Mr. H. E. Wilder he told me that about a year 

 previously (1902), when in Riverside, he saw a bird fly over that he felt sure 

 was a Roseate Spoonbill. 



Roseate Spoonbills were reported to us informally from the Im- 

 perial Valley in 1909 ; and Leo Wiley has written us that he finds this 

 species appearing along the banks of the lower Colorado River in the 

 vicinity of Palo Verde during the hot months of the summer season. 



