98 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 73 



Migration: Common migrant throughout the Valley. Spring migrants return 

 to the Western Upland 30 April to 5 May and reach the Northern Highland 

 by 10 May (earUest— 11 April 1954, Crex Meadows, Burnett County). Peak 

 spring migration occurs 10-25 May and most birds are on nesting territories 

 by 1 June. Fall migration begins in early August. Peak fall populations 

 occur 20 August to 1 September and departure by 15 September (latest— 

 2 October 1969, Chisago County). 



Nesting Season Distribution: Common breeding species in all regions. Con- 

 firmed breeding records exist only for Pierce, Polk, and St. Croix counties. 

 Inferred nesting exists for the remaining counties. Breeding Bird Survey 

 data (Table 3) indicate that an unusually uniform and well-distributed breed- 

 ing population exists within the Valley. 



Habitat: Eastern kingbirds use edge habitats probably more than any other 

 flycatcher. Characteristics of typical eastern kingbird breeding habitat 

 include woodlots, scattered clumps of tall shrubs, fenceUnes, open fields, and 

 edges of sedge meadows. Fences and transmission hues are apparently im- 

 portant components of breeding habitat and are used extensively as hunting 

 perches. Jackson (1942) found eastern kingbirds "especially abundant" in 

 Jack Pine Barrens and regrown burned areas in northwestern Wisconsin. 



Western Kingbird {Tyrannus verticalis) 

 Status: Casual migrant and nesting species. 



Migration: Rare spring and fall migrant. Records are too few to determine 

 average dates of arrival or departure. However, most observations occur 



15 May to 1 September. Migrants have been recorded from Burnett, St. 

 Croix, and Washington counties. 



Nesting Season Distribution: Rare nesting species in St. Croix County. 

 Nesting was first reported in 1961 when a pair was successful at Hudson. A 

 pair returned to the same site each year until 1971 when small boys shot the 

 pair from the nest. During the summer of 1967, Peter Tweet found an addi- 

 tional breeding pair near Burkhardt, in west central St. Croix County. Addi- 

 tional breeding season records include a single bird at Crex Meadows, Bur- 

 nett County, on 27 July 1953, 11 and 26 July, and 5 August 1956. In Minne- 

 sota, two young were observed at Langdon, Washington County, on 

 13 August 1952 (Lupient 1952). In St. Croix County, western kingbirds were 

 not recorded again until I observed a group of four near New Richmond on 



16 August 1975. This group remained in the same area until 25 August. The 

 next record was obtained on 19 August 1976, when a single bird was found 

 in the same area. This individual remained in the area until 26 August 1976. 



Habitat: The Hudson breeding pair was located in a residential area. Other 

 records of breeding pairs are associated with edge habitats in agricultural 

 areas. 



Great Crested Flycatcher {Myiarchus crinitus) 

 Status: Regular migrant and nesting species. 



