May, 1914 
BIRDS OK NORTHERN MONTANA 
131 
zones, feeding on bear-berries and juniper, or on pine and fir needles when 
the berries are covered with snow. They return to the lower slopes again 
when the breeding season commences, about the middle of May. 
Canachites franklini. Franklin Grouse. Permanent resident in the moun- 
tains, occurring in the thick, dense, spruce forests along the mountain streams, 
and in the bottoms of gulches. Said to be less common now than formerly. 
Bonasa umbellus umbelloides. Gray Ruffed Grouse. Permanent resident 
in the mountains, between altitudes of 4500 and 6000 feet. Inhabits the wil- 
low and cottonwood thickets of the lower mountain streams. All the birds I 
have observed closely in this region are B. u. umbelloides, while those of more 
southern Montana are B. u. togata. 
Lagopus leucurus leucurus. White-tailed Ptarmigan. Permanent resi- 
dent in the Alpine zone 
along the higher ridges. 
Only found on the more re- 
mote ridges, along, or near, 
the continental divide. 
Pedioecetes phasianel- 
lus campestris. Prairie 
Sharp-tailed Grouse. Per- 
manent resident of the prai- 
ries. The birds begin nest- 
ing in late May, when the 
cooing sound which accom- 
panies the “chicken dance” 
may be heard any evening. 
The first young are usually 
seen early in July. In win- 
ter the birds gather in large 
flocks in the thickets, feed- 
ing largely on buffalo-ber- 
ries and wild rose hips. In 
spring and fall they frequent 
alfalfa fields, and eat the 
alfalfa leaves. 
Zenaidura macroura 
marginella. Western t,,- 
° „ F)g. 42. Nest and eggs of the Mallard. 
Mourning Dove. Summer 
resident. Much less common than in southern Montana. I found nests with 
eggs in July. Migration date : May 19, 1912. 
Circus hudsonius. Marsh Hawk. Common summer resident. The most 
abundant hawk in the prairie portion of the region. An account of the nest- 
ing of this bird in this region has been published (see Condor, xv, 1913, pp. 
195-204). Migration date: April 7, 1912. 
Accipiter velox. Sharp-shinned Hawk. Summer resident in the moun- 
tains. Nests commonly in aspen groves and spruce thickets. Young are 
usually not out of the nest till late August. Migration dates : May 8, 1912, 
September 8, 1911, and September 13, 1912. 
Accipiter cooperi. Cooper Hawk. Summer resident. Usually seen only 
in the mountains, but I observed one in a cottonwood grove near Choteau, July 
8 and 9, 1912. 
