South Dakota Bird Notes

Official Publication of

SOUTH DAKOTA ORNITHOLOGIST'S UNION

(Organized 1949)

Vol. 25, No. 3 SEPTEMBER, 1973 Whole No. 98

Common Flicker -Photo by Willis Hall South Dakota Bird Notes, the Organ of South Dakota Ornithologists' Union, is sent to all members whose dues are paid for the current year. Sustaining Members $10.00, Adults $4.00; Juniors (10-16) $2.00. Family Membership (husband and wife) with one subscription to Bird Notes $6.00. Libraries (subscription) $4.00. Single and back copies: Members $1.00, Non-members $1.50. All dues should be remitted to the Treasurer, Nelda Holden, Route 1, Box 80, Brookings, S. Dak. 57006. All manuscripts for publication should be sent to Editor June Harter, Highmore, S. Dak. 57345. Orders for back numbers should be sent to the Librarian, Herman P. Chilson, Webster, S. Dak. 57274. Published Quarterly.

Vol. 25, No. 3 September, 1973 Whole No. 98

In This Number •••

President's Page, Byron Harrell 39 Avian Fossils in South Dakota, D. G. Adolphson 40 Volume Number Correction 46 Book Review, J. W. Johnson 47 Clothes-Line Cafe, Margerey R. Arbogast 48 General Notes of Special Interest-Peregrines Hatched in Captivity, Red Crossbills at Pickerel Lake, Gray-<:rowned Rosy Finches in Gregory County, Surf Scoter, Changes in Names, Pine Siskins at PickerelLake, Mockingbird in Aberdeen, Curve-billed Thrasher's Stay at Gann Valley, Snowy Egrets and White-faced Ibis, Songs and Sounds of Black-billed Cuckoo 50 About Birds, Irma Weyler 55 Winter Meeting at Sioux Falls 56

OFFICERS 1971-73

President Byron Harrell, 1215 Valley View Circle, Vermillion 57069 vice-President Bruce Harris, Clear Lake 57266 Secretary June Harter, Highmore 57345 Treasurer Nelda Holden, Rt. 1, Box 80, Brookings 57006 57345 Editor June Harter, Highmore 57274 Librarian Herman P. Chilson, Webster

DIRECTORS

For Term Expiring 1973: Bill Lemons, Meckling; Charles Rogge, Sioux Falls; Don Adolphson, Rapid City; Nelda Holden, Brookings; Lee Eberly, Vermillion.

For Term Expiring 1974: Herman Chilson, Webster; Bruce Harris, Clear Lake; N. R. Whitney Jr., Rapid City; L. M. Baylor, Rapid City.

For Term Expiring 1975: Byron Harrell, Vermillion; J. W. Johnson, Huron; Herbert Krause, Sioux Falls; B. J. Rose, Pierre; June Harter, Highmore.

38 SOUTH DAKOTA BIRD NOTES President's P(/ge

I AM happy to announce the formation of it is being prepared for publication in of the Editorial Committee for South "Bird Notes." Perhaps the Check-List Dakota Bird Notes. Four of our members Committee members have written less have kindly agreed to serve in this because of the many hours devoted to capacity. The persons selected are their important task. Perhaps effects of knowledgeable about birds in particular age and moving out of the state has not and about special parts of the state in been balanced by new young members particular. The committee will consist of and those who have moved into the state. Herbert Krause, Sioux Falls; Bruce I can speculate but I do not know the Harris, Clear Lake; J. W. Johnson, reason; I mention it now since we all Huron; and Les should be aware of the problem. Baylor, Rapid City. As Two approaches come to mind. One described in the last way is to encourage the preparation of issue, each paper will notes or papers on observations already be read before made or being made in the normal ac­ publication by one of tivities of our members. It is hard to say these committee how effective periodic exhortations on members or at times this subject may be. I suspect the Check­ by another knowl­ List will help to provide the observer edgeable person as information he needs to decide on the well as by the editor. importance of his observations. Any paper by an Editorial Committee member will be Another approach is through read by a different member. We hope organization or projects. Goal directed this procedure will contribute to the observations are much more likely to qualitative improvement of the journal. provide publishable material than are -A high standard of accuracy can casual ones. The cooperative effort of the be encouraged by the Editor Check-List has already provided some and the Editorial Committee. They direction. In a limited way we have done cannot, however, have as much effect on this in scheduling our field meetings in the quantity of material published which interesting parts of the state. We could is determined by the efforts of active organize our own special surveys such as members preparing papers and on of colonial species. We could make financial resources. At the present time special efforts to fill in details of breeding we are financially able to publish more ranges of selected species; important papers than we have been receiving. This data would come from such an effort on certainly does not mean that there is a even our common species. Special dearth of things left to learn about South studies of banding returns of birds Dakota birds; the forthcoming Check­ captured in South Dakota could be made. List will indicate there is still much to When the Check-List is completed, it learn. Does the shortage indicate that might be a good time to initiate some sort less field work is being done or that less of cooperative study.-Byron E. Harrell

SEPTEMBER, 1973 39 Avian Fossils of South Dakota D. G. Adolphson

THE IDENTIFICATION and found in southwestern South Dakota classification of avian fossils, the fore­ representing the Orders Ciconiiformes runners of modern birds, help us un­ (herons and storks), Anseriformes derstand the process and direction of (water-fowl), Falconiformes (birds of evolution that has produced the birds we prey), Galliformes (chicken-like birds), now see and enjoy. The study of the Ralliformes (cranes and rails), and specimens and their ancient en­ Strigiformes (owls). vironment sheds light on the ecological Bird species represented include one conditions of past ages, including such flamingo, four ducks, two geese, two factors as climate, plants, food supplies, buteos, three Old World vultures, two competition, landscapes, and reasons for quail, one grouse, one guan, three with extinction. characteristics like chachalacas, five cranes, and one owl. Ancient bird forms have been preserved as fossils throughout most of The following list of avian forms the world. Because of the fragility of (Macdonald, 1951; Harksen and Mac­ avian remains, however, the fossils are donald, 1969) is compiled by fauna, not common in all sedimentary rocks, formation or age depending upon the but are restricted to certain fine-grained, availability of information regarding the relatively undisturbed geologic forma­ individual specimens or species. tions. Most avian J:>ones found as The fauna! list has been kept in the fossils are from the limbs of the birds. most simplified practical form, listing Due to their fragile nature, complete Order, Family, Genus, and Species. In specimens or even skull fragments some cases, the Subfamily is shown; rarely occur. however, in other cases the Species is shown as indeterminate. The name of the Although the first known appearance of person describing the type and the year birds was during the Jurassic age in the type was described is given after its Europe, they did not appear again until species name. the Late Cretaceous age (see Table 1). Jurassic forms were terrestrial; the CRETACEOUS known Cretaceous forms were aquatic, LATE CRETACEOUS-PIERRE and the known Tertiary forms were SHALE terrestrial. Order Hesperornithiformes Hesperornis regalis Marsh, 1872 The most ancient bird fossil found in South Dakota (Macdonald, 1954) was TERTIARY uncovered from the Pierre Shale of Late EARLY OLIGOCENE- Cretaceous age in Custer and Pennington CHADRONIAN-CHADRON FOR­ Counties. The bird was a flightless MATION toothed water species and was of the Order Galliformes Order Hesperornithiformes. There are Family Cracidae no living members of this order. Procrox brevipes Twenty-five remains dating from the Tordoff and Macdonald, 1957 Oligocene, Miocene, and Pliocene Order Ralliformes Epochs of the Tertiary period, have been Bathornis veredus Wetmore. 1942

40 SOUTH DAKOTA BIRD NOTES Age of Time Era Period Epoch Life-form (millions of years) Holocene Modern Man .01 Quaternary Pleistocene Stone-age man lto2 Great variety of Pliocene+ mammals. Elephants 12 widespread. t) ·c; Flowering plants at N 0 full development. c Miocene+ 25 ·<:.> - Tertiary bears. (.) Ancestral dogs and Ancestral pigs and Oligocene+ 40 apes.

Eocene Ancestral horses, 60 cattle and elephants Paleocene appear. 70 Extinction of Dinosaurs Late+ and Ammonites t) Cretaceous 135 ·c; Mammals and Flowering N 0 Early

Table 1.-{;eologic time scale for the last 180 million years (after Holmes, 1965, p. 157). +Epochsin which avian fossils have beenfound in South Dakota.

MIDDLE OLIGOCENE- ORELLAN- EARLY MIOCENE--MONROE BRULE FORMATION CLOWER) CREEK FORMATION-SHARPS Order Ralliformes FORMATION Badistornis aramus Wetmore, 1940 Neognathae, indeterminate Mac- Bathornis cf. celeripes Wetmore donald, 1972 Order Anseriformes Order Falconiformes Anatidae, indeterminate (Eggs) Family Accipitridoe Farrington, 1899 Subfamily Aegypiinae Order Falconiformes Arikarornis macdonaldi Howard, 1966 Buteo grangeri Wetmore and Case, Order Galliformes 1934 Family Phasianidae Subfamily Odontophorinae LATE OLIGOCENE-WHITNEYAN- Miortyx aldeni Howard, 1966 BRULE FORMATION (UPPER) Order Galliformes Family Cracidae MIDDLE MIOCENE-FLINT HILL Palaeonossax senectus Wetmore, 1956 FAUNA-BATESLAND FORMATION Cracoidid n. gen. Order Ciconiiformes Order Ralliformes Family Phoenicopteridae Gnotornis aramielus Wetmore, 1942 Megapaloelodas connectens Miller, Bathornis cursor Wetmore 1944

SEPTEMBER, 1973 41 Order Anseriformes like birds which inhabited the edge of the Family Paranyrocidae seas. Paranyroca magna Miller and Comp- ton, 1939 LATE CRETACEOUS Family Anatidae Remains of one of the extinct Subfamily Dendrocygninae Cretaceous birds, Hesperornis, which Dendrochen robusta Miller, 1944 means "Western Bird," was first Subfamily Antinae discovered in December, 1870, by Marsh Querquedula integra Miller, 1944 0872) near Smoky Hill River in Western Order Falconiformes Kansas. It was a flightless marine form Family Accipitridae about three feet in height equipped with Subfamily Buteoninae sharp conical teeth and had habits very Indeterminate buteonine Miller, 1944 similar to those of the Loon. The bird Subfamily Aegypiinae swam the warm shallow seas diving and Palaeoborus rosatus Miller and catching fish. Compton, 1939 Remains were first found in South Order Galliformes Dakota (Green, 1962) near Fairburn, Family Cracidae Custer County, by James D. Bump in 1946 Ortalis pollicaris Miller, 1944 and recently in a quarry near Rapid City, Family Tetraonidae Pennington County. Other recent Tympanuchus stirtoni Miller, 1944 discoveries have been made in different Family Phasianidae statigraphic horizons in widely Subfamily Odontophorinae separated geographic locations in Miortyx teres Miller, 1944 Canada. Order Strigiformes Family Strigidae TERTIARY Strix dakota Miller, 1944 During the Tertiary period, which fol­ lowed the withdrawal of the. Cretaceous EARLY PLIOCENE-BIG SPRINGS seas, a blanket of continental sediments CANYON FAUNA-OGALLALA was deposited from Saskatchewan to GROUP Texas along the eastern front of the Order Anseriformes newly forming Rocky Mountains. Family Anatidae Erosional processes acting on these Branta sp. Compton, 1935 sediments in South Dakota created the Ncttion greeni Brodkorb, 1964 White River Badlands. The Badlands Order Falconiformes extend from the southeastern slopes of Family Accipitridae the Black Hills eastward to the south Neophrontops dakotensis Compton, central part of the state. Fossil bird 1935 remains have been found in strata of the Oligocene, Miocene, and Pliocene CRETACEOUS Epochs of the Tertiary Period. The Seas covered much of central North fossils range in age from 40 to 11 million America during the Cretaceous period years. Rocks of the Paleocene and which ended about 70 million years ago. Eocene Epochs are missing in south­ The climate was rather uniform and western South Dakota. warm. During this periodthe only known birds in existence on the North American EARLY OLIGOCENE continent were diving, fish-eating birds The Early Oligocene in South Dakota is of the shallow, warm seas which once represented by the Chadron Formation covered the Great Plains and two tern- of the White River Group. The Chadron is

42 SOUTH DAKOTA BIRD NOTES a light-greenish sandy clay underlying shouldered and red-tailed hawks. Buteo the Brule Formation and forms the basal grangeri was slightly larger than the formation of the White River Group. It modern red-tailed hawk. Hawks of this rests unconformably on the Pierre Shale. general type are also found in the Pliocene and Miocene of Late Tertiary Procrox brcvipcs was discovered in a time, especially in the deposits of Sioux fresh-water limestone deposit at the top County, Nebraska. This form from South of the Chadron Formation in Pennington Dakota carries the line back earlier and County. This fossil cracid is the oldest demonstrates the antiquity of origin of known species of the family. The bird certain extant forms of birds of prey was a medium-sized cracid with out­ (Wetmore and Case, 1934). standing flying ability and probably was a tree-top dweller. It had shorter legs and toes and thicker claws than modern LATE OLIGOCENE members of the family Cracidae in­ Fossils from the Late Oligocene were cluding the curassows, guans, and found in the Poleslide Member of the chachalacas, which are Neotropical in Brule Formation in the Badlands. Fossil distribution and range in the present day mammals are numerous and well­ from the lower Rio Grande Valley, preserved in the strata. Texas, south to Argentina. Galliformes found include a guan Bathornis veredus was described by (Palaeonossax). This record extends the Wetmore of the American Museum of historical distribution of the strictly Natural History to have crane-like American family Cracidae back into the characteristics. Upper Oligocene. The modern families are now Neotropical in distribution. The two ralliformes, Gnotornis aramielus MIDDLE OLIGOCENE and Bathornis cursor. had crane-like All birds found in strata of the Middle characteristics (Wetmore, 1942). Oligocene age in the Badlands are from the Scenic Member of the Brule Forma­ EARLY MIOCENE tion. The Brule directly overlies the Ncognathae, indeterminate was Chadron Formation and consists of the identified (Macdonald, 1972) from two Scenic and Poleslide Members. Clay bone fragments collected from ant sediments of the Scenic are uniform, mounds in the Monroe Creek Formation, widely distributed and are abundantly Shannon County. This is the only in­ fossiliferous. dication of birds in the Monroe Creek Formation and "possibly they (bone The petrified egg is believed to beof an fragments) belonged to a bird about the anatine bird (duck family) which would size of a quail, but further identification seem to indicate the presence of aquatic is not possible

SEPTEMBER, 1973 43 American fossil members of the Old abundantly in the Late Oligocene of World Vulture subfamily (Aegypiinae). France. These species were more eagle-like than The goose, Paranyroca magna, is the living members of the group. believed to bea large bird, swan size, but Arikarornis macdonaldi (Howard, 1966) with characteristics of the diving ducks. is one of the smallest of the fossil Fossil bone fragments indicate that Aegypiinae and represents a new genus and species. North American records of Dendrochen robusta is a tree-duck, the earliest known record of this group. the Aegypiinae are represented from Tertiary horizons in Nebraska, South Quer9uedula integra is very close to Dakota, Oregon, California, Mexico, the genera of ducks living in North Nebraska, New Mexico, and Nevada. America today. Howard 0966) states that there is a possibility of a generic relationship The incomplete fossil bone suggest that between A. macdonaldi (Sharp's For­ the indeterminate buteonine represents a mation raptor) and the Flint Hill buteonine hawk or small eagle about the aegypiine, Palaeob-Oues rosatus. size of a turkey vulture.

Miortyx aldeni, this galliform Palaeoborus rosatus is from the Old fragment of left humerus was collected World vulture group which is found from by H. Garbani of J. R. Macdonald field the Miocene to the Pleistocene. party, in a gully near Sharp's Corner, Shannon County. The specimen is Modern relatives of the galliform bird characterized by the American Quail Ortalis pollicaris are Neotropical in (Howard, 1966). M. aldeni is the largest distribution. in size of the fossil quails found in Ter­ tiary deposits from Saskatchewan, South Tympanuchus stirtoni was the same Dakota, Nebraska, Oregon, Kansas, and size as the modern prairie chicken and is Florida. closely related to the grouse.

Miortyx teres is related to the North MIDDLE MIOCENE American quail. Howard (1966) found a Field parties from the Museum of generic relationship between M. aldeni Paleontology of the University of (Sharp's Formation quail) and M. teres California (Miller, 1944) collected fossil (Flint Hill quail). vertebrates from a quarry known as Flint Hill, Bennett County, South Dakota. The fossil, Strix dakota, was the size of Specimens were found in a stream the screech owl and is closely related to channel lens of silt, in the upper part of the barred owl. It is the only known the Batesland Formation, at the edge of a representative of the order Strigiformes small area of Badlands. Ten bird forms in the Tertiary of North America after were found from eight different families. the Eocene. S. dakota was short-legged, There were three new genera and seven robust and forest-dwelling. new species described by Miller (1944). Miller and Compton (1939), in an earlier EARLY PLIOCENE expedition to the area, described one new The fossil birds, Branta and genus and family and one additional Neophrontops dakotensis, were species from this horizon. preserved in the Big Springs Canyon

• Megapaloelodas connectens is the first fauna of the Ogallala Group and were flamingo to be found in the Tertiary of collected by Museum of Paleontology of North America. Flamingos appear the University of California (Compton,

44 SOUTH DAKOTA BIRD NOTES 1935). The area is near the source of the possibly restricted to small openings Little White River, Bennett County. The among the trees." fossils were found in a channel filled with Comparison of the fossil birds with rather coarse unconsolidated sandstone their modern descendents shows that and clay balls. many families and some genera were Compton 0935) described Branta from established during the Miocene epoch a fragmentary end of a humerus which and have remained relatively stable does not agree in size with any of the since. Evolutionary change of birds in described species of this goose from the Late Tertiary was less rapid than in Early Pliocene. Branta represents eiijler mammals. No avian fossils are known a new species or a small race of Canada from Late Miocene deposits in South goose Branta canadensis. Dakota. Descriptive conditions of the Early Oligocene, Late Oligocene and Neophrontops dakotensis is closely Early Miocene epochs in South Dakota related to the Old World vulture are difficult because of the scarcity of Neophron and Compton suggests that representatives. Ncophrontops may represent a migration of Neophron types to North REFERENCES America. Brodkorb, Pierce, 1964, A Pliocene Teal from South Dakota: Quarterly Jour. of Fossil remains of the teal duck, Nettion the Florida Acad. of Sci., v. 'l:l, no. 1. greeni, were found by Morton Green and Robert W. Wilson, July 22, 1963 from the lower part of the Ash Hollow Formation Compton, L. V., 1935, Two avian fossils of the Ogallala Group near Tuthill, from the lower Pliocene of South Bennett County

SEPTEMBER, 1973 4S Howard, Hildegard, 1966, Two fossil actions of the Kansas Academy of birds from the Lower Miocene of South Science, vol. 70, no. 1. Dakota: Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Los Angeles, Calif. Wetmore, Alexander, 1942, Two new fossil birds from the Oligocene of South Macdonald, J. R., 1951, The fossil verte­ Dakota: Smithsonian Inst. Misc. Coll., brata of South Dakota: Guide Book v. 101, no. 14, Pub. 3680, p. 1-6. Fifth Field Conference of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology in Western ...... , 1956, A fossil guan from the South Dakota, The Museum of Oligocene of South Dakota : Condor, v. Geology of the S. Dak. School of Mines 58, no. 3, p. 234-235. and Technology, p. 63-74. Wetmore, Alexander, and Case, E. C., ...... , 1954, Prehistoric Birds: 1934, Skull of a fossil bird from the South Dakota Bird Notes, v. 6, No. 2, p. Badlands of South Dakota (abstract): 27. 24, Science N. S., v. 76, p. 546.

Macdonald, L. J., 1972, Monroe Creek ...... , 1934, A new fossil hawk (Early Miocene) Microfossils from the from the Oligocene beds of South Wounded Knee Area, South Dakota: S. Dakota: Michigan Univ. Mus. Dak. Geol. Survey, Report of Invst. No. Paleontology Contro., v. 4, no. 8, p. 129- 105. 132.

Marsh, 0. C., 1872, Preliminary description of Hesperornis regalis, with notice of four other new species of Cretaceous birds: Am. Jour. Sci., v. 3, no. 3, p. 360-365.

Miller, A. H., 1939, Avian fossils from the lower Miocene of South Dakota (ab­ stract): Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., v. 50, no. 12, pt. 2, p. 1973.

...... , 1944, An avifauna from the lower Miocene of South Dakota: Calif. Univ. Dept. Geol. Sci. Bull., v. 27, no. 4, p. 85-99.

Miller A. H., and Compton, L. V., 1939, Two fossil birds from the lower Miocene of South Dakota: Condor, v. 0 41, no. 4, p. 153-156. Black and White Warbler Tordoff, H. B., and Macdonald, J. R., -Courtesy Wilson Bulletin 1957, A new bird

46 SOUTH DAKOTA Bl RD NOTES Book Review J. W. Johnson

BORN TO SING, An Interpretation and assessment of material, giving another World Survey of Bird Song, by Charles dimension in understanding of birds and Hartshorne. Indiana University Press. their music. I can only hope his pleasure 1973. Illustrated with sound spec­ in the book is equal to mine. trograms, tables, and musical scores. xvi The author has worked in widely + 304pp., including Glossary, 15 pages of separated parts of the United States and references, divided: I Books and arti­ has spent a total of seven years in other cles; II Sound recordings, 32 pages of countries: Japan, East Africa, Mexico, Index, divided: Birds, Persons, and Costa Rica, Panama, Nepal, and Topics. $10.00. Australia, to name a few. In addition to his own field work and recordings, he has A fast once-0ver of this book made made wide use of data collected by clear my peculiar lack of competence for others, an obvious necessity in a search its review. Discouraged, I let it lay for for meaning and purpose in this area. His weeks, convinced it was completely field is thus worldwide. But the great outside any reasonable handling on my availability of material from Europe, part, yet unwilling not to do what I North and Central America has not been could to bring it to the attention of people allowed to obscure that from Asia, interested in birds and their songs. I Africa, South America, and Australia. knew of no one both able and willing to While modern technology accounts for take the time to review it. Then, in search most of the data used and has made of inspiration-<>r more probably, an serious study in this field possible, excuse, I found it in the first page of the detailed descriptions by earlier preface. musically oriented listeners are also quoted. "The primary aim of this book is to While birds have the main focus, advance what P. Szoke has well called mammals, including marine, am­ biomusicology, the study of music not phibians, and insects are not at all just in man but in musical or singing ignored. Available data on them are animals generally. Szoke reasonably considered where appropriate. holds that to work in this field one should be expert both in musicology and in the Early, the author arranges common qualitative musical terms, such as unity, appropriate branches of biology, es­ diversity, profound, beautiful, etc. into a pecially ornithology. Few persons can rational order for ease in understanding altogether meet these requirements. The and describing birds' songs and com­ deficiency I feel most painfully is in paring them to human music. This serves music." to make broadly understandable his While proficient in none of these, my analysis of individual singing. most obvious lack is in music. Thus I The data make clear that birds seem cannot judge how well founded is the not to have the mental equipment for author's feeling of inadequacy. Hence, sustained musical compositions. Most with these caveats of both author and bird songs last less than 20 seconds. But reviewer, the reader is warned. But birds do have advantages. For one, they anyone interested in the subject may yet can sing more than one note at a time. find enjoyable adventure in this new (Continued on Page 54)

SEPTEMBER, 1973 47 Clothes-Line Cafe Margerey R. Arbogast

WHEN WE put sunflower seeds and The birds responded well to our in­ suet in our feeders on the clothes-line, we vitation. One morning 110 little Pine welcomed all winter birds and their Siskins fought for places on the four watchers to our back yard. One might feeders. A siskin with beak open, head consider us optimistic to expect birds to low, wings and tail spread looks quite find us here so close to the business fierce. At least holding their own with the district of Aberdeen but we knew there siskins were 15 Red Crossbills. All they were some factors in our favor. Many had to do to settle a dispute was to thrust migratory birds find us each year, trees their caliper-like beaks in the direction of and shrubs are abundant and it is the the siskins. nature of birds to go where there is food. The gentle timid Purple Finches were another matter. They stood no chance Other factors were the plentiful supply with the siskins so they waited patiently of sunflowers raised by local farmers and on the trees and wires or ate seed that their generosity in allowing us to gather was spilled on the ground until the others all we wanted after the harvesters had had eaten their fill and moved on. In done their job. Before too much snow had response to that situation we sprinkled fallen we collected about 150 big heads. seeds on the ground even though it tended We thought they would be enough to feed to attract more House Sparrows. Sixteen the birds all winter.We were wrong. The was the highest number of finches first few seed heads attracted so many counted at one time. Red Crossbills, Pine Siskins, Purple Finches, Evening Grosbeaks and others Other birds included a pair of White­ that by the end of November we had to breasted Nuthatches. When they wanted resort lo buying seeds. something to eat they just zoomed in, scattered birds in all directions, selected Buell Luce helped with the a seed or peanut, flew off to eat it, then preparations for our project. He fur­ zoomed back for more. nished the transportation to and from the The Chickadees, Hairy Woodpeckers fields, converted coat hangers into and Downy Woodpeckers did not come as holders for the sunflower heads

48 SOUTH DAKOTA BIRO NOTES 8, and a pair of Common Flickers that gray to mostly all red and black. came occasionally. The winter of 1972-73 was a wonderful As the time approached when we would experience. As our clothes-line cafe have lo say good-by to our winter friends closed for the season we were thankful we noticed some of their changing colors. for the pleasure provided by our guests. The golds and black of the siskins, the red We hope they will return.-514 South and black of the crossbills, and the First Street, Aberdeen. S. Dak. 57401 raspberry of the finches became fresher (The author has confirmed the fact and brighter. During the season I had that the siskins ate sunflower seeds on watched the plumage of one young the seed heads and in the trays after the crossbill change from yellow, red and crossbills had departed.-Ed.)

- Squeeze Shut

- Straighten Out

Fig. 1. Coat Hanger Holder

Bend to Make

/ a Platform for Heads

12-inches

For Smaller Trays

Use Single Center

Pole

15xl0xl-inches

Fig. 2. Feeding Tray

SEPTEMBER, 1973 49 General Notes of Special Interest

PEREGRINES HATCHED IN CAP­ Massachusetts Audubon Society. The TIVITY-Twenty-0ne young Peregrines address is Massachusetts Audubon were the products this year of a captive Society, Lincoln, MA 01773.­ breeding program which many persons Massachusetts Audubon Newsletter thought impossible. They were the first +++ to be produced by the Cornell Raptor RED CROSSBILLS AT PICKEREL Program of Ithaca, New York. LAKE-Agnes and I were surprised to see a male and female Red Crossbill The previous two springs brought feeding on our corn cobs on April 4, 1973. success in eagle and buteo production but This is the first time in over 20 years that the Peregrine score both seasons was we have seen them eating corn. zero. Through careful handling and commodious flight cages, the Cornell On April 8, one male Red Crossbill ate project has provided an environment in sunflower seeds at our hanging Mason which peregrines can breed. For many jar feeders. At different times in the past years there has been a question as to we have sighted them feeding on the whether peregrines would breed in ground and in the trees, but this was the captivity. In the wild, peregrine court­ first time that they fed at our hanging ship and pair bonding involves feeders. magnificent flight displays which cannot These beautiful birds fascinate us be reproduced under captive conditions. because we never know when they are All the young Peregrines were hatched going to appear, or what they are going to in special incubators. Many were hand­ do next.-Herman P. Chilson fed but some were cared for by adult +++ birds. GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCHES IN GREGORY COUNTY-On Sunday, Dec. The Cornell program is designed to 2, 1972, I received a telephone call from keep a viable stock of peregrines my employer, Mr. Dean Frank, whose available for breeding in the wild as soon place of business and residence is located as chlorinated hydrocarbon residues two miles west of Burke along Highway decline in the environment. The 18. Knowing of my interest in birds he peregrine once bred in most eastern called to tell me about six unusual birds states but was extirpated in the region by that were feeding on his lawn, and, as he the early 1960's. Their known suscep­ explained it, flying against the picture tibility to hard pesticides indicates that window of his house as though trying to peregrines probably were eradicated by get inside. I at once drove out there, the chemicals. taking my binocular and "Golden Field Guide." However, as is so often the case, The Massachusetts Audubon Society the birds were gone when I arrived. We maintains an account which helps sup­ searched the area around the buildings port the raptor program. Tax deductible but we could not find them. I asked Mr. contributions may be made by sending a Frank to look through my field guide to check made out to Peregrine Fund- find a picture of the birds he had seen.

50 SOUTH DAKOTA BIRD NOTES When he came to the illustration of the Dakota Bird Notes," I found only one Gray-crowned Rosy Finch, he said, other record of a sighting east of the "Those are the birds I saw. No doubt Black Hills. That was the single Bird about it." As the birds could not be found sighted at Volin in 1961 (Bird Notes XIII : again that day, I was unable to verify his 36). sighting. I thought that if the birds stayed in the area I would get a chance to see On Jan. 17, 1973, Mr. Don Wilson, them while I was at work in the days that Burke, had an opportunity toobserve the followed. finches in company with Mr. Frank and me. We don't have a record of the last However, the finches were not seen date they were present, but Mr. Frank again until Dec.26. On that day, as I was saw them nearly every day until ap­ going to my car about 4:30 in the af­ proximately the first of March.-Galen ternoon, I noticed several birds that L. Steffen, Burke, S. Dak. looked different. They were on the roof of +++ a building with a small group of House Sparrows. After I got the binocular and field guide from my car, Mr. Frank and I walked to where we could get a close look SURF SCOTER--On Oct. 17, 1972, Mr. at the birds. We both observed them with Gerald L. Peterson, a student at South the eight-power binocular at a distance of Dakota State University from Wheaton, 25 feet. We noted the gray crowns con­ Minn., submitted for identification a trasting with the black foreheads, and duck obtained while hunting the previous the pinkish coloring on the wings and day. The specimen proved to be an im­ sides. I asked Mr. Frank if they were the mature female Surf Scoter (Melanitta same kind of birds he had seen earlier in perspicillata). It was shot Oct.16 at the the month. He said they were exactly the north end of Lake Traverse, ap­ same. Upon checking the illustration in proximately one-fourth of a mile south of the field guide I was able to confirm our what is locally known as Reservation sighting of Gray-crowned Rosy Finches. Dam

SEPTEMBER, 1973 51 autumn and consist of females or young Flickers are now considered races of the of the year.-John M. Gates, Brookings, single speciesCommon Flicker+ as they S. Oak. regularly interbreed.

52 SOUTH DAKOTA BIRO NOTES jars half of the time while eating. It clearly identify it by the white stripes on bothered us to see our favorite the wings and tail, the over-all grayish Chickadees sit around and wail. white underparts and darker gray on the back.-Jerome H. Stoudt. Research Bent said, "Siskins can be attracted to Biologist, Bureau or Sport Fisheries and feeding stations by millet seed ...," so I Wildlife filled one Mason jar feeder completely +++ full of millet seed and the other four feeders with the usual sunflower seeds. CURVE-BILLED THRASHER'S STAY Now for the big surprise! The siskins AT GANN VALLEY-The Curve-billed avoided the millet completely and still Thrasher visiting the Irving Knight dominated the sunflower feeders. The ranch near Gann Valley from February, chickadees naturally flew lo the unoc­ 1971 (BN 23:80) until Dec. 1, (BN 24:21) cupied millet feeder, discovered the remained about the house through the millet seed, and flew away. winter of 1971-72. It built another "nest" or roosting platform under the eave of I later scattered millet seed on the porch roof but this time a little west of the lawn and in no time at all we had on the earlier location, on the phone wires. It average from five to six siskins, and at ate shelled corn and dominated a Blue times up to 10 siskins feeding at one time. Jay that also remained for the winter. We watched the Pine Siskins closely for About the middle of May of 1972 it any indications that they might nest in disappeared and has not been seen our area but we could observe no signs of again.-J. W. Johnson, Huron +++ mating or courtship behavior. Our first observation was March 28, and the last was May 14.

There was an unusual influx of Pine SNOWY EGRETS AND WHITE-FACED Siskins all over eastern South Dakota. IBIS-At 9:15 a.m. on August 10, 1972, Everett Sewell and Dr. Allan Anderson Gerald Thoms and I observed 12 Snowy observed them in Webster, while Ken and Egrets and two White-faced Ibis feeding Patsy Husmann saw a group in together in a scattered group in a slough. Brookings. Don Allen fed them in The location was on the west side of the Watertown and the James Iversons had road two miles west and three miles them at their feeder in Sioux Falls. Jim south of Lake Preston. and Lucille Johnson told us that they still Under good light conditions, within a had siskins at their place on May 30.­ distance of 125 yards, we watched the Herman P. Chilson birds with our binoculars and noted the +++ yellow slippers on at least three of the egrets. We used the bird book for MOCKINGBIRD IN ABERDEEN-On checking out the various points of Saturday evening and again on Sunday identification. Additional confirmation morning, April 28 and 29, 1973, I observed by other viewers was not made at the a Mockingbird in my back yard at a time.-Larry Fredrickson, Research distance of 80 feet. It is the first Biologist, Department or Wildlife and Mockingbird I have seen this far north by Fish Sciences, South Dakota State several hundred miles. University, Brookings

The bird was observed through 7x35 Bausch and Lomb binocular and I could

SEPTEMBER, 1973 53 SONGS AND SOUNDS OF BLACK­ Book Review BILLED CUCKOO-It becomes difficult at times to separate for positive iden­ (Continuedfrom Page 47) tification the sound of the Black-billed Cuckoo from that of other species in his The author, comparing bird and area that are all vocalizing at the same human composition says: "I incline to ti me. think if a human composer were to This can become a special deterrent if subject• himself to the same drastic his "cousin," the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, is limitations in the time span of patterns in the same vicinity and has been heard he could not greatly surpass the birds near the same time. Since cuckoos prefer and he might easily do less well. True, he to be hidden in thick, leafy foliage, one is could achieve a higher proportion of pure hard put to be able to use sight iden­ tones than most birds do (but this would tification. perhaps only accentuate the meagerness of the result, since the mixture of tones But the ear detects a slightly higher and semitones is one way of securing pitch in the Black-billed Cuckoo's notes, richness of contrast from few sounds)." more resonance, and a plaintive quality. His tones are grouped, evenly spaced, Evolution of song in the evolution of and never retarded toward the close of an species has not been neglected in this utterance. The last is an especially study and appears as a significant factor significant distinction from the phrases in the conclusions. The author shows of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo. that his own list of about 200 outstanding singers of the world have also been The usual routine of the Black-billed praised by others and include a large Cuckoo consists of a series of cu-cu-cu or majority of the most praised singers in kuk-kuk-kuk notes repeated again and the literature of several languages. His again with more tone quality than the first point: If the selections are only staccato croak of the Yellow-billed subjective, then their preference is a Cuckoo. At ti mes, only one kuk or two general human subjectivity. His second : may issue from the depths of a tall elm or If the list is of only human import, the other full-leaved tree. distribution over the bird families should 'be random. The fact: All are perching This bird is heard from the middle of birds and only two, Lyrebirds, are May through the summer, and even into Suboscine. the fall months of September and Oc­ But the author's most interesting thesis tober, and often at night. My records will probably strain relations with the show that I have heard him after the 10 ultra cold, scientific in bias: In addition o'clock hour, and after midnight, as late to all the accepted reasons birds have as the middle of October in t,his south­ for singing, they sing because they enjoy eastern corner of South Dakota.­ it. And, even more interesting, they enjoy Adelene M. Siljenberg, Vermillion hearing others of their species sing. Perhaps there is no absolute proof in the sense that we cannot enter the relatively simple mind of the bird and show what is going on there. But the author's mass of data and his rational handling of it are convincing enough, at least until someone finds a better envelope for the total of the observation.-Huron

54 SOUTH DAKOTA BIRD NOTES About Birds

Irma G. Weyler

ONE OF the first questions people ask and are now concentrating on the big after they have put up a bird feeder is: juniper on the hill which still is blue with How do you drive the House Sparrows berries. The whole tree quivers as they away? feed. Early in the winter the waxwings Our answer is: We don't, we accept cleared out the cedar berries, next they them. We have found that they serve as ate the dried fruits, and now, in April, pilots to draw other birds to the feeder they are clearing the blue sheen from the and, as a rule, the house sparrows tend to juniper. Every winter they follow this withdraw to the escape trees, like social order. Whether it's the best, or the worst, outcasts, when other birds come. that is left for the last, the waxwings don't say. There are, of course, sparrow traps-a screen enclosure, stocked with food, that Ice, snow and dreariness greeted the has a door that drops shut when a bird first Red-winged Blackbird when he enters. This is messy business because arrived on March 18, 1973. He had come desirable birds enter as well as to stake his claim to the cattail draw for a sparrows. Some birders say not to put out nesting site and he will defend it food that sparrows like, but they seem to vigorously from all contesters of his own like everything, even to taking sunflower kind and larger birds flying over that seeds from the pendant feeders and might be a threat to his home and family. pecking at the suet ball. So we accept the sparrows along with the rest and have The Red-winged Blackbird has about not considered them a problem. six weeks in which to play, to sing and to defend his chosen homesite before the This winter, however, we accidently females arrive. The blackbird on our hill kept sparrows from the terrace feeders, usually contents himself with one mate though we were putting out the same and finds himself plenty busy protecting foods. It happened like this: We feed the that one and helping with the feeding of pheasants under the Russian olive hedge the young. CThe red-winged blackbirds west of the house. The feed consists of feed at our terrace tray and we have seen ground corn placed in little piles. The the male bring the young there and feed sparrows found it, liked feeding in the them a few bites of ground corn until they open with quick escape to the branches learn how to pick for themselves.) above, and the supply was enough to last all day. As a result few, if any, sparrows The various choices for nesting sites came to the terrace stations. Since include the cattails, the red osiers and pheasants have stopped feeding in the golden elders in front of our house, and yard now that the weather is mild, we do the native brush in the draws.-Daily not put out corn daily as we did in the Belle Fourche Post winter, but the sparrow feeding habits seem to be so established that they still do not come to the terrace.

The waxwings have cleared the dried crabapples from most of the trees in town

SEPTEMBER. 1973 55 Winter Meeting at Sioux Falls

November 9-10-11, 1973

HEADQUARTERS Room 101, Gilbert Science Center, Augustana College, 33rd and Summit, Sioux Falls.

PROGRAM Friday, November 9 7:00-10:00p.m.-lnformal get-together and registration (Registration fee for local expenses, $1.25) 8: 00 p.m.-Coffee

Saturday, November 10 9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon-Registration, Business Meeting, Paper Session 10:30 a.m.-Coffee 1:30 p.m.-5: 00 p.m.-Paper Session, Directors Meeting 3:00 p.m.-Coffee 6:30 p.m.-Banquet, Marshall Room, Augustana Commons ($2.50). Special Program ...following in the Auditorium of Gilbert Science Center.

Sunday, November 11 9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon-Check-List Committee Meeting

CALL FOR PAPERS Those who plan to present papers should send title, time, and projection equipment needed to B. E. Harrell, Biology Department, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota 57069.

ACCOMMODATIONS Most Convenient Motels-Downtown Holiday Inn, 100 West Eighth ; Airport Holiday Inn, 1301 West Russell; Ramada Inn, Junction Highways 38 and 29; Howard Johnson's, 3300 West Russell; Town House, 400 South Main; Lindendale Motel, South Highway 77; Smith's Uptown Motel, 1223 West 12th; Travel Lodge, 809 Northwest.

56 SOUTH DAKOTA Bl RD NOTES