Nov., 1914 EFFECTS OF IRRIGATION ON BIRD LIFE IN WASHINGTON 
251 
Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse. Pedioecetes phasianellus columbianus. 
Formerly common but not seen recently. 
Sage Grouse. Centrocercus urophasianus. Formerly common but now 
breeding only in the Eattlesnake Mountains. 
Western Mourning Dove. Zenaidura macroura marginella. Earely seen 
in the sage brush, probably nesting there. 
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus. Earely seen in the sage brush. 
Burrowing Owl Speoiyto cunicularia hypogaea. Common, nesting along 
the ravines. I believe they will average from four to ten pairs to the square 
mile. 
Say Phoebe. Sayornis sayus. Earely seen in the brush 
Dusky Horned Lark. Otocoris alpestris merrilli. The most abundant 
brush species, probably averaging from twenty to forty pairs to the square 
mile. 
Western Meadowlark. Sturnella neglecta. The second most abundant 
species, with perhaps ten or more pairs to the square mile. 
Western Vesper Sparrow. Pooecetes gramineus confinis. This was not 
common in the sage area near my ranch, but was numerous east of Sunnyside, 
where I had little opportunity of observing it. The same applies to the next 
species. 
Brewer Sparrow. Spizella breweri. 
White-rumped Shrike. Lanius ludovicianus excubitorides Occasional. 
Sage Thrasher. Oreoscoptes montanus. Probably five pairs to the square 
mile. 
This desert area was bounded on the south by the Yakima Eiver, two hun- 
dred feet wide normally, but during spring floods spreading over the bottoms 
to a width of a half mile. The river, in its thickets of roses, elders and sumacs, 
above which rose the alders and cottonwoods, supported a bird fauna entirely 
different from that of the desert, and the nucleus from which sprang later the 
abundant bird life of the irrigated land. The following is a list of the species 
which nest either on the river banks, in the thickets and trees, or about the 
ponds left in the river bottoms by retreating high waters. 
American Black Tern. Hydrockelidon nigra surinamensis. 
Cinnamon Teal Querquedula cyanoptera. 
Shoveller. Spatula clypeata. 
Great Blue Heron. Ardea herodias. 
Coot. Fulica americana. 
Spotted Sandpiper. Actitis macularius. 
Killdeer. Oxyeclius vociferus. 
Western Mourning Dove. Zenaidura macroura marginella. 
Marsh Hawk. Circus hudsonius. 
Sharp-shinned Hawk. Accipiter velox. 
Western Eed-tail Buteo borealis calurus. 
Sparrow Hawk Palco sparverius phaloena. 
Belted Kingfisher. Ceryle alcyon. 
Lewis Woodpecker. Asyndesm^is lewisi. 
Eed-shafted Flicker. Colaptes cafer collaris. 
Western Nighthawk. Chordeiles virginianus henryi. 
Black-chinned Hummingbird. Archilochus alexandri. 
Eufous Hummingbird. Selasphorus rufus. 
Eastern Kingbird. Tyrannus tyrannus. 
