May, 19M 
BIRDS OF NORTHERN MONTANA 
1.33 
ill the prairies, nesting in cottonwood groves. I observed young near Clioteau, 
well able to fly, in late May, 1912. 
Nyctea nyctea. Snowy Owl. Occasional winter visitor on the prairies. 
Surnia ulula caparoch. Hawk Owl. One seen near Summit, in fire-killed 
pine timber, November 8, 1912. 
Glaucidium gnoma pinicola. Rocky Mountain Pygmy Owl. Permanent 
resident. Observed frequently in different parts of the mountains, but most 
commonly in fir timber on Beaver Creek, a tributary of the Sun River. 
Ceryle alcyon alcyon. Belted Kingfisher. Common summer resident 
along streams, both in the prairies and mountains. Migration dates: April 9, 
1912, and September 27, 1912. 
Dryobates villosus monticola. Rocky Mountain Hairy Woodpecker. Per- 
manent resident. Pound in winter and migrations in cottonwood groves along 
streams in the prairies. Breeds in pine and fir forests in the mountains. It 
is possible that the bird of this region is referable to leucomelas. I secured no 
specimens, but found a dead bird near Choteau, late in March, 1912, from 
which I saved a wing. From 
the markings on this wing, 
I believe that this bird was 
intermediate between monti- 
cola and leucomelas. 
Dryobates pubescens 
( subspecies ? ) . Downy 
Woodpecker. One bird seen 
near Choteau, January 5, 
1913. Since this bird oc- 
curred in Avinter, and this 
species is certainly not com- 
mon in this region in the 
breeding season, I believe 
that it may belong to D. p. 
nelsoni. In this connection I 
Avish to call attention to a 
note of Bendire’s (Life Hist. 
N. Amer. Birds, vol. II, p. 
56) made before this subspecies was described, but Avhich undoubtedly proves 
the occurrence of nelsoni in Montana in Avinter. 
Picoides arcticus. Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker. Observed in consid- 
erable numbers in fire-killed timber, on the South Pork of the Two Medicine 
River, January 15, 1912. 
Picoides americanus dorsalis. Alpine Three-toed Woodpecker. Ob- 
served in considerable numbers Avith the above species at the same time and 
place. A single bird seen in the same place March 30, 1912, and one observed 
on Birch Creek June 2, 1912. A large area on the Tavo Medicine River Avas 
burned over in the summer of 1910. The next year the bark of the fire-killed 
trees Avas infested by a small beetle. The presence of this beetle evidently 
accounted for the abundance of three-toed woodpeckers on this area in Janu- 
ary. No birds Avere seen there the folloAving Avinter. 
Melanerpes erythrocephalus. Red-headeR Woodpecker. Rare summer 
resident. One bird seen near Choteau, July 16, 1911, and a pair near Strabane, 
June 5, 1912. 
