Sept., 1920 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS OF INTERIOR ALASKA 181 
Falco peregrinus anatum. Duck Hawk. A nest was found July 4, 1912, on a rocky 
crag near the junction of the McKinley Fork with the North Fork of the Kuskokwim. 
The nest was only a slight depression in the moss of a narrow ledge and contained 
four small nestlings covered with yellowish down. 
Falco columbarius columbarius. Pigeon Hawk. Small hawks, almost certainly 
of this species, were seen many times along the Kuskokwim River, and were especially 
abundant in August, 1912, along the bluffs overlooking the river below Georgetown. We 
were unable to secure a specimen. 
Pandion haliaétus carolinensis. Osprey. Common June 22 to July 7, 1912, along 
the North Fork of the Kuskokwim from the head to the junction with the East Fork. 
Several nests were seen June 22 in the tops of high white spruces overlooking the river 
near the Minchumina portage. 
Scotiaptex nebulosa nebulosa. Great Gray Owl. The dried body of a great gray 
owl was seen on the roof of a cabin at the junction of the McKinley Fork with the North 
Fork of the Kuskokwim. 
Bubo virginianus lagophonus. Northwestern Horned Owl. Often heard hooting 
at night in the white spruce forest along the Tanana River near Fairbanks, along the 
Cosna River, and at the head of the North Fork of the Kuskokwim. From June 25 to 
July 7 family groups were common in willows at the edge of the white spruce forests 
along the North Fork down to some distance below the junction with the McKinley 
Fork. These groups usually consisted of three frowsy young, with one or both old birds 
somewhere nearby. A few times only two young were noted in a group. One specimen 
was taken near the Minchumina portage, and one at Fairbanks by H. J. Christoffers. 
For the use of the name Bubo v. lagophonus see Oberholser, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 27, 
1904, p. 185. 
Surnia ulula caparoch. Hawk Owl. Local name: Ptarmigan Hawk. Common 
near Tanana in the fall and winter of 1911, being first noted on October 6. Several 
were noted on the Cosna River, February 18. Numerous at the head of the North Fork 
of the Kuskokwim in the spring of 1912. Several were seen September 1, 1912, on the 
Kuskokwim-Yukon portage. They occur in white spruce forest, in black spruce forest, 
and in burned forest. In winter they were noted hunting over areas of blueberries and 
dwarf birch, and over the open treeless ridges. 
A nest containing five slightly incubated eggs was found May 9, 1912, in white 
spruce—paper birch forest near Lake Minchumina. The nest was hollowed out of the 
rotten wood in the top of an Alaska paper birch stub about fifteen feet high, and the 
bark remaining in place formed the sides of the nest. A few leaves had fallen into 
the nest, but no other material had been added. The male made angry dashes at 
us as we cut down the stub, though the female merely looked fierce. Several times 
when we retired a short distance she returned to the nest and resumed incubation. On 
June 26 a young Hawk Owl just able to fly was seen in company with a parent at the 
edge of the forest along the North Fork of the Kuskokwim below the Minchumina 
portage. 
Notes and calls are numerous and quite varied, but all seem quite musical. 
Kr-r-r-r-e-e-eep, a low rapid rattle rising to a cry is often heard. Wur-a-wwr-a (rapid) 
and kuk-a-wuk (very low) were given by a male on March 25 while he was seated in a 
dead spruce. . 
Streptoceryle alcyon caurina. Western Belted Kingfisher. One was seen over 
a slough near Fairbanks, August 19, 1911. They were numerous at the head of the 
North Fork of the Kuskokwim in 1912, appearing first on May 21. On July 7 one was 
seen to fly from a nest-hole in the river bank below the entrance of the McKinley Fork. 
They often perch on birches or white spruces overlooking the river. Several were seen 
on the Takotna River July 20. For the use of the name Streptoceryle a. caurina see 
Ridgway, U. S. Nat. Mus., Bull. 50, pt. 6, 1914, p. 420. 
Dryobates pubescens nelsoni. Northern Downy Woodpecker. One was seen in 
burned black spruce timber ten miles north of Tanana, September 22, 1911. 
Dryobates villosus septentrionalis. Northern Hairy Woodpecker. A specimen 
was obtained August 5, 1911, in white spruce timber along the Tanana River, nine miles 
east of Fairbanks. 
