renee AU De BON BU TLE TyTN 
now declining in Illinois and throughout their 
range owing to effects of DDT. The latter two 
species have reached the near vanishing point as 
nesting birds in Illinois. 
(2) Cooper’s Hawk and Sharp-shinned Hawk: 
Former common permanent residents in Illinois, 
now rare in the state and elsewhere; cause(s) of 
the decline remain undetermined. 
(3) Hooded Merganser, Wilson’s Phalarope and 
Yellow-headed Blackbird. Summer residents, now 
on decline owing to destruction of nesting habitats. 
(The Pintail and Shoveller may belong in this 
group.) 
(4) Greater Prairie Chicken. A former com- 
mon permanent resident and a victim of habitat 
destruction; vanishing except in sanctuaries. 
(5) Swainson’s Warbler. A rare summer resi- 
dent, the entire known Illinois population con- 
sisting of a few pairs inhabiting the canebrake 
along Cave Creek near Pomona, Jackson County. 
CURRENT STATUS UNCERTAIN: 
(1) Mississippi Kite. A former summer resi- 
dent in the south, now making a comeback and 
presumably again nests in numbers in the southern 
and perhaps central parts of Illinois near the 
Mississippi River. 
(2) Ruffed Grouse. Seventy-five years ago 
Robert Ridgway was able to write of this species, 
“It is found throughout the State in wooded dis- 
tricts, becoming more rare southward. It is un- 
common in the vicinity of Mount Carmel and is 
growing less so as the. woods’ become cleared.” 
There now seems exceedingly little reason to be- 
lieve that this grouse persists in Illinois, except 
possibly as a successful reintroduction in places 
like Lusk Creek. 
(3) Yellow Rail. A few lingering remnants of 
former rare breeding populations might be re- 
vealed by a careful combing of suitable habitats, 
if such habitats (lush grassy places near clear 
lagoons) still exist. The AOU Check-List indicates 
the species has vanished as a breeding Illinois bird. 
(4) Black Rail. The AOU Check-List com- 
ments on this obscure inhabitant of marshes as 
having ‘formerly (bred) in Illinois (Calumet 
River, Philo).” As with the previous-named 
species, a combing of suitable habitats might re- 
veal a few birds. Whether such habitats still 
exist, however, is doubtful. 
“Our knowledge of 
certain populations is 
unsatisfactory, and 
lists revisons will be 
required.” 
