110 
TIIE CONDOR 
Yol. XI 
not two dozen species of birds could have been recorded in the district. The fol- 
lowing year water was brought into the district and with the water came birds. 
Today there is a string of lakes, ponds and marshes, covered with tules, cat-tails, 
and other vegetation common to such locations, fourteen miles in length, and from 
one-half to one and one-half miles in width. This forms an ideal summer home 
for a large number and variety of water birds. Cottonwood groves have been 
planted and have grown to good-sized trees. Cottonwoods and willows have 
sprung up along the shores of the lakes, furnishing nesting sites for many species 
of perching birds. The surrounding country is under cultivation, furnishing 
abundant food for the seed-eaters. The lakes are teeming with fish and many other 
forms of aquatic life, and the swamps and marshes are rich in insect life. These 
varying environmental conditions, together with the well-wooded valley of the 
Platte on the west, Box Elder Creek on the east, and the vast, dry, rolling prairie 
stretching away on all sides, furnish a field for bird study almost ideal in every 
particular.* 
It has been our purpose to make this list as brief as possible, especially with 
reference to the common birds whose status is well establisht, but to include in it 
any facts which in our opinion would add to the present knowledge of our subject. 
We have endeavored to have the nomenclature conform to the latest publisht 
rulings of the Committee on Nomenclature of the A. O. U. 
Colymbus auritus. Horned Grebe. “Two birds were seen on a small lake 
northeast of Barr, May 5, 1906. There is no question regarding their identity.’ ’ 
(Hersev) 
Colymbus nigricollis californicus. American Eared Grebe. Summer resident, 
common. Nests commonly during May and June, but not as plentifully as the 
succeeding species. 
Podilymbus podiceps. Pied-billed Grebe. Summer resident, very common. 
Nests abundantly thruout May, June and early July. 
Gavia immer. Common Loon. Not uncommon in migration. 
Larus argentatus. Herring Gull. “Not uncommon during fall migra- 
tion.’’ (Hersey) 
Larus delawarensis. Ring-billed Gull. This gull, altho resident at Barr 
having been recorded every month in the year, has not been found nesting. A 
flock of about 100 birds spend the entire summer on Barr Lake, but a careful search 
has failed to reveal a nest, and the birds exhibit no signs of nesting. 
Larus franklinii. Franklin Gull. “One bird seen October 17, 1907, in a flock 
of Ring-billed Gulls (L. delawarensis ).” (Hersey) 
Larus Philadelphia. Bonaparte Gull. “One was killed on Barr Lake during 
the fall of 1907, but was not preserved.’’ (Hersey) 
Xema sabinii. Sabine Gull. Four birds were taken at Barr by Hersey on the 
following dates: One on September 3, two on October 3, and one on October 
31, 1908. 
Sterna forsteri. Forster Tern. Summer resident, common. Occurs in greater 
numbers and breeds more abundantly than the Black Tern. A colony of about 
100 breeding birds nest regularly on a small lake northeast of Barr. The breeding 
season lasts from May 15th to July 1st. 
Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis. Black Tern. Summer resident; common. 
Nests regularly, tho not more than three nests have been found by us in close 
proximity. 
'This list is to be followed by a table of dates of migration recorded for the Barr I.ake district. 
