BIRDS OF THE ST. CROIX RIVER VALLEY 



89 



On 24 May 1978, C. A. Kemper and S. D. Robbins heard saw-whet owls 

 calling in four separate locations about 15 km west of Solon Springs, 

 Douglas County. S. D. Robbins (personal communication) suggests that the 

 saw-whet owl probably nests in the upper Valley. 



Winter: Apparently a casual winter resident until mid-January. Several late 

 December records exist from the Afton, St. Paul Suburban (Washington 

 County) and New Richmond (St. Croix County) CBC. Also, there are several 

 January records from Burnett County. The recent increased interest in 

 "owhng" with tape-recorded calls may help to better establish the winter 

 status of this species. 



Habitat: Most records of wintering saw-whet owls have been from medium- 

 aged Pine Plantations and mature pine forests. 



FAMILY CAMPRIMULGIDAE: Goatsuckers 



Whip-poor-will {Camprimulgus vociferus) 

 Status: Regular migrant and nesting species. 



Migration: Fairly common migrant throughout the Western Upland and 

 Central Plain, locally common in the Northern Highland. Most records are of 

 birds on breeding territory, rather than actual migrants. Spring migrants 

 arrive 1-5 May and are widely distributed by 10-20 May. Jackson (1942) re- 

 ported that whip-poor-wills were common at Danbury, Douglas County, 

 during late May 1918. The status of this species in the fall is poorly under- 

 stood. Whip-poor-wills are quiet during this period and they are almost 

 never reported. Most observations have been made between 20 August and 

 20 September (latest— 22 October 1964, Burnett County). 



Nesting Season Distribution: Fairly common and local nesting species 

 throughout the Central Plain and Northern Highland, uncommon and local 

 in the Western Upland. 



Habitat: In the Western Upland, nesting whip-poor-wills are found asso- 

 ciated with mixed stands of xeric deciduous and coniferous woods, and in 

 Pine Plantations. In the Central Plain and Northern Highland this species is 

 most common in medium-aged Northern Hardwood Forest, Jack Pine 

 Barren, and Pine Plantations. 



Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) 

 Status: Regular migrant and nesting species. 



Migration: Common spring and locally abundant fall migrant throughout 

 the VaUey. Spring migrants arrive 5-10 May and peak abundance occurs 

 25 May to 5 June. Fall migration begins with flock formation in early 

 August. Peak abundance occurs between 15 August and 1 September and 

 departure by 20 September (latest— 7 October 1973 and 8 October 1965, 

 Washington County). 



