Jan., 1910 
SOME CENTRAL COLORADO BIRD NOTES 
33 
were as large as an ordinary week or ten days old chick, were squatting perfectly 
motionless on the ground about a foot apart, each in the shade of a plant of some 
sort. Their feathers were quite well developed. They kept perfectly quiet, and 
made no move when I picked them up, but opened their eyes, heretofore kept 
closed, when replaced on the ground. There were a few dead pines and a few 
aspens about the place, but no thick growth. 
Chordeiles virginianus henryi. Western Nighthawk. Seen constantly from 
the time we were at Parkdale until we returned. About four o’clock of the after- 
noon of August second, when a few miles south of Buttes Station, we saw what ap- 
peared to be a migratory movement of these birds. Altogether we saw anywhere 
from 50 to 100 of them, all flying southerly in a leisurely manner, and not hunting 
insects. They were not in a flock, but came along in a scattering fashion, by ones, 
twos and threes, or more. 
Aeronautes melanoleucus. White-throated Swift. Two or three were seen 
June 5 near the Glencairn Ranch on Turkey Creek, and two days later some were 
seen just outside of Canon City. 
Selasphorus platycercus. Broad-tailed Hummingbird. Hummingbirds were 
seen at Poncha Pass, Medano Ranch, Mosca Creek, Madenos Canon, Westcliffe, 
and in Hardscrabble Canon. Only two specimens were taken, both at Mosca Creek, 
and both Broad-tails. Such others as were seen close enough to be identified were of 
this species, but one which flew past me at Westcliffe, travelling like a bullet, seemed 
undoubtedly to be a Rufous-backed ( S . riifiis) , but of course I cannot be positive 
with the glimpse I had. The Broad-tail is so much the most common species in 
this state that it is quite safe to put a hummingbird down as such unless one has 
evidence to the contrary. When running traps at the Poncha Pass camp I saw a 
female hummer take cotton from some which I had twisted around a twig to mark 
a trap, so I suppose she was building a nest. 
Tyrannus tyrannus. Kingbird. Kingbirds were seen at various places between 
Colorado Springs and Salida, and were not uncommon. A single bird was seen at 
Westcliffe. From Beulah to Pueblo, and thence to Colorado Springs they were 
seee quite frequently, though not nearly as common as the next species. 
Tyrannus verticalis. Western Kingbird. Seen occasionally between Colorado 
Springs and Villa Grove, and next seen at Westcliffe. Between Beulah and Pueblo, 
and especially between the latter place and Colorado Springs they were very com- 
mon and continually seen along the roadside. Halfway between Beulah and Pueblo 
a pair had a nest at a fence corner, where two posts stood side by side, being placed 
on the posts, and behind a sort of framework nailed on the side of the post next the 
road; a cardboard election notice had once been nailed on this frame, and the great- 
er part of it still remained, and served to screen the nest from the road. There were 
three young in the nest, fully fledged, and able to fly a little. Family groups were 
frequently seen along the Pueblo-Colorado Springs road. 
Tyrannus vociferans. Cassin’s Kingbird. One was killed June 7, near 
Parkdale. 
Myiarchus cinerascens. Ash-throated Flycatcher. One seen June 6, near 
Glendale, and one taken June 8, in Copper Gulch. 
Sayornis saya. Say’s Phoebe. Seen at various places between Colorado 
Springs and Salida. At Glendale a pair had a nest in a poultry house at a ranch 
near our camp. A nest at Hooper contained three eggs June 17; birds were seen 
from Hooper to Mosca, at San Luis Lake, Medano Ranch, Sand Creek, Durkee 
Ranch, Westcliffe, Querida, Hardscrabble Canon, and thence at various places until 
we arrived at Colorado Springs. 
