112 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 73 



Distribution: Rare and local breeding species restricted primarily to the 

 Western Upland. Establishment of this species in the lower Valley has been 

 very recent. Roberts (1932) rarely found this bird in southeastern Minnesota 

 and then primarily only during the winter months. Currently, the major area 

 of abundance appears to be along the St. Croix River and its major tribu- 

 taries north to Marine-on-St. Croix (Washington County). Confirmed nest 

 records have been obtained from St. Croix and Washington counties. Edgar 

 (1943) observed tufted titmice feeding their young in Washington County on 

 25 July 1943, thus providing the first confirmed nest record for Minnesota. 

 Occasional records from central Polk and southern Burnett counties (Bauers 

 1964), suggest another range extension. Young (1967) summarized the dis- 

 tribution of this species in Wisconsin and reported that the tufted titmouse 

 was concentrated south of the Tension Zone in that State. 



Habitat: Primarily a species of mature Lowland Deciduous Forest asso- 

 ciated with major tributaries of the St. Croix River. Near Afton State Park 

 (Washington County) and along the Kinnickinnic River (Pierce County), 

 tufted titmice also use stands of medium-aged Southern Deciduous Forest. 



FAMILY SITTIDAE: Nuthatches 



White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 

 Status: Regular permanent resident. 



Distribution: Fairly common permanent resident throughout the Valley, de- 

 creasing in abundance northward. Breeding Bird Survey data (Table 5) sug- 

 gest that breeding white-breasted nuthatches occur in largest numbers in 

 the Central Plain, becoming much less numerous in the heavily forested 

 Northern Highland. Bernard (1967), however, considered this species 

 common in Douglas County. Goddard (1972) reported a breeding season 

 density of 14.7 pairs per 40 ha along the Kinnickinnic River, Pierce County. 



Winter: Common winter resident in the Western Upland, fairly common in 

 the Central Plain, and uncommon in the Northern Highland. Christmas Bird 

 Count data (Table 4) show a rapid decrease in relative abundance moving 

 northward through the Valley. Densities in birds per party hour are nearly 

 10 times greater on the Afton Count (Western Upland) than on the Solon 

 Springs Count (Northern Highland). 



Habitat: Primarily a species of various deciduous forest communities in- 

 cluding Southern Deciduous Forest, Lowland Deciduous Forest, and North- 

 ern Hardwood Forest. Rarely encountered during the breeding season in 

 pure coniferous forest. Although nests are frequently placed in coniferous 

 trees (primarily white pine), breeding pairs are usually associated with 

 extensive mixed deciduous-coniferous forest. Breeding pairs regularly use 

 large deciduous trees in residential areas. Residential feeding stations are 

 important during winter. 



