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Further Evidence for the Breeding of the Summer Tanager in Canada by P. Allen Woodliffe

The Summer Tanager (Piranga On tario. Only one other "summer" rubra) is considered to be rare in record occurred during the five Canada, with casual records from years of the On tario Breeding Bird southern Manitoba and southwest­ Atlas project, that being in 1983 ern Quebec (Godfrey 1986). It when a singing male was recorded in occurs more frequently in southern late May at the Royal Botanical New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Gardens in Hamilton, Regional Ontario. In Ontario it has recently Municipality of Hamilton- been recorded annually during . Wentworth (Woodliffe 1987). The spring migration at various localities spring of 1985 saw a minor influx of along the north shore of Lake Erie. Summer Tanagers at Rondeau, At Point Pelee National Park, Essex involving at least five different birds Co., for example, an average of7.2 from 1-9 May. Two of the five birds birds were observed in spring for were females. There was a lull in the years 1978-87, inclusive observations until 26 May when a (Wormington 1978,1979,1980, male and female were noted in the 1981, 1982, 1984; Runtz 1983; Pratt park's sighting book as being seen and Pratt 1985; Hince 1986; Pratt along the South Point Trail. There 1987). During this period the earli­ were no further records un til 8 July, est date noted was April 20 and the when Dr. Richard Knapton excitedly latest was May 27. reported observing a pair along the At Rondeau Provincial Park, Ken t South Point Trail. They seemed to Co., about 50km east of Point Pelee, be in tent on one certain area, and the park records indicate that only copulation had been observed. I one or two Summer Tanagers are checked the area on 9 July and saw recorded in an average spring no sign of either the male or female. migration. In addition, there is a However, early in the morning of 10 record of two males being collected July, I again checked the location. by the late]. L. Baillie on 12June Within two minutes of my arrival, 1933 and one June record in 1965 what I identified as a male Summer (Speirs 1985). These were the only Tanager appeared approximately summer records for Rondeau until 15m up in a nearby American beech 1985, and two of the very few for (Fagus grandifolia) tree. It was giving

P. Allen Woodliffe, 30 Argyle Crescent, Chatham, Ontario N7L 4T8

ONTARIO BIRDS DECEMBER 1988 109

an alarm call which can best be could not find a nest. I again described as a distinct "tic-tuckety­ checked the area for two hours in tuk". These calls are well recorded the early evening of that same day, on both the Peterson and National but saw no sign of either bird. I .,Geographic tape guides to bird checked the area on four subse­ songs. The bird I saw was about quent occasions from 23-29 July but 15-1&m long and an almost uni­ neither saw nor heard anything of form rich rosy but dull red. The the Summer Tanagers. Then, on the wings were much the same colour, morning of 30July, I heard the male but perhaps slightly duskier towards call twice, the last time I found any the tips. The bill was fairly stout and concrete evidence of either tanager yellowish. The bird worked its way to being in the area. It is possible that within 20m of me, all the while giv­ because of the absence of other ing its alarm note. I hid behind a Summer Tanagers in the area at the nearby tree trunk, hoping to keep time, the male did not feel com­ an eye on the bird to follow it to its pelled to call and "defend" the terri­ mate. The bird flew back to the tory with any regularity. As a result, beech tree and then out of sight the birds may have been more beyond it. It could not relocate it. I difficult to detect. Farrand (1983) left the area intending to come back states that this species "often in a few days, thinking that if the remains concealed in higher vegeta­ bird was nesting, it may be quite tion, especially when breeding." early in the cycle and, therefore, I On 15 November I found a tan­ did not want to disturb it. The habi­ ager type nest that Phil Taylor had tat consisted of a mature beech­ men tioned to me a few weeks earli­ maple woods, with numerous bass­ er. It was approximately 180m south wood (Tilia americana), white ash of the area where the pair had been (Fraxinus americana), and tulip-tree most frequently seen. It was in a (Liriodendron tulipijera) present as sugar maple (Acer saccharum) tree, well. A few of the mature trees had approximately 10m up and 4m out fallen over in recen t years, making from the trunk in the crook of a mis­ the overstory relatively open. The shapen, bent branch about 2-3cm in South Point Trail and nearby slough diameter and almost directly over made it seem even more open. the road. It was neat, circular, and On 16July I checked the area flat-shaped, approximately IOcm in again and heard but did not see the outside diameter and appeared to bird. On 22 July I saw the male with be comprised of coarse grasses and food in his mouth and heard him weed stems. Small branches and the giving alarm calls. He flew to a tree presence of leaves protruding from where the female was, fed her and the limb supporting the nest would then they both flew off away from have likely obscured the view from me. Although I examined this tree below. The nest was not that of any and nearby ones quite thoroughly, I thrush, vireo, or warbler species that

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I am familiar with. If this was in fact to Sparrows. Alfred A Knopf, Inc., New the location of the Summer Tana­ York, New York. Go<1l"1,W.E. 1986. The Birds of Canada, ger's nest, its distance (l80m) from Revised Edition. National Museum of the scene of all the observations de­ Natural Science, Ottawa, Ontario. scribed above may partially explain Harrison, H. H. 1975. A Field Guide to Bird's Nests (Eastern). Houghton Mimin Co., the infrequency of activity noted. Boston, Massachusetts. There is no conclusive evidence Hince, G. T 1986. Ninth Annual (1986) Spring that this pair of Summer Tanagers Migration Report, Point Pelee National bred at Rondeau Provincial Park in Park & Vicinity, Friends of Point Pelee, Leamington. 1985. Activities such as copulation, Pratt, T and P Pratt. 1985. Eighth Annual male feeding the female, alarm calls, (1985) Spring Migration Report, Point and length of time the birds were Pelee National Park & Vicinity. Friends of noted in one area - together with Point Pelee, Leamington. Pratt, P 1987. Tenth Annual (1987) Spring the presence of suitable habitat and Migration Report, Point Pelee National the finding of an unoccupied tanag­ Park & Vicinity, Friends of Point Pelee, er-like nest in the vicinity - all sug­ Leamington. Runtz, M. 198~.Sixth Annual (198~)Spring gest that these birds did indeed Migration Report, Point Pelee National breed or at least attempt to breed at Park & Vicinity. Friends of Point, Rondeau. However, based on this ac­ Leamington. count, the status of the Summer Speirs,] M. 1985. Birds of Ontario. Vol. 2. Natural Heritage/Natural History Inc., Tanager in Ontario and Canada Toronto, Ontario. continues to be that of an occasional Woodiiffe, P A. 1987. Summer Tanager. pp. visitor and suspected breeding resi­ 426-427. In Cadman, M. D., P. F.J. Eagles, and F. M. Helleiner (eds.), Atlas of the dent. Breeding Birds of Ontario. University of In future, field ornithologists Waterloo Press, Waterloo, Ontario. should make a concerted effort to Wormington, A. 1978. Point Pelee National determine if pairs do establish sub­ Park, First Annual Spring Migration Repon (1978). Parks Canada, Leamington. sequent to the occurrence of spring Wormington, A. 1979. Point Pelee National "overshoots", in the hope of adding Park, Second Annual Spring Migration the Summer Tanager to the list of Report - 1979. Parks Canada, breeding birds in Ontario and Leamington. Wormington, A. 1980. Third Annual (1980) Canada. Spring Migration Report, Point Pelee National Park & Vicinity. Parks Canada, Acknowledgements Leamington. Wormington, A. 1981. Fourth Annual (1981) I would like to thank Phil Taylor for Spring Migration Report, Point Pelee his helpful comments on an earlier National Park & Vicinity. Parks Canada, draft of this paper. Leamington. Wormington, A. 1982. Fifth Annual (1982) Spring Migration Report, Point Pelee Literature Cited National Park & Vicinity. Friends of Point Bent, A. C. 1958. Life Histories of Nonh Pelee, Leamington. American Blackbirds, Orioles, Tanagers, Wormington, A. 1984. Seventh Annual (1984) and Allies. Smithsonian Institution Bulletin Spring Migration Report, Point Pelee 211. Dover Reprint Edition. National Park & Vicinity. Friends of Point Farrand,]],,- (ed) 198~.The Audubon Society Pelee, Leamington. Master Guide to Birding. Vol. ~:Warblers

ONTARIO BIRDS DECEMBER 1988