University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Zea E-Books Zea E-Books 7-2013 Birds and Birding in Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains Region Jacqueline L. Canterbury Sheridan College, [email protected] Paul A, Johnsgard University of Nebraska-Lincoln, [email protected] Helen F. Downing Sheridan, Wyoming Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/zeabook Part of the Biodiversity Commons, Ornithology Commons, and the Poultry or Avian Science Commons Recommended Citation Canterbury, Jacqueline L.; Johnsgard, Paul A,; and Downing, Helen F., "Birds and Birding in Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains Region" (2013). Zea E-Books. 18. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/zeabook/18 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Zea E-Books at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Zea E-Books by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Birds and Birding in Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains Region Jacqueline L. Canterbury Department of Biology Sheridan College Sheridan, WY 82801 Paul A. Johnsgard School of Biological Sciences University of Nebraska– Lincoln Lincoln, NE 68588 and Helen F. Downing (1917–2010) Zea Books Lincoln, Nebraska 2013 Text copyright © 2013 J. L. Canterbury & P. A. Johnsgard Drawings copyright © 2013 P. A. Johnsgard isbn 978-1-60962-040-0 paperback isbn 978-1-60962-041-7 ebook U Set in Chaparral Pro types. Design and composition by Paul Royster. Zea Books are published by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries Electronic (pdf) edition available online at http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/zeabook/ Print edition can be ordered from Lulu.com, at http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/unllib Dedication The first edition of this book was dedicated to and prepared specifically for the more than 100 observers who contributed their information over a twenty-five year period. The second edition is dedicated to the memory of Helen Downing, who graciously allowed J. L. Canterbury and P. A. Johnsgard to update and expand it. 5 Abstract The Bighorn Mountains consist of a relatively well-isolated north-south mountain range in north-central Wyoming that had their origins during the early Cenozoic era, 50-65 million years ago. The present-day Bighorn range is more than 100 miles in length and has a maximum elevation of 13,167 feet (Cloud Peak), only slightly less than the highest peak in Wyoming (Gan- nett Peak, at 13,804 feet). The mountains are flanked to the west by the Big- horn River basin, and to the east by the Powder River basin, both of which support only semi-desert vegetation dominated by sagebrush. Elevations of the Powder River basin near the Montana border and the Bighorn River near Worland are below 3,700 feet, and annual precipitation at Worland averages less than ten inches annually. The nearly 10,000-foot range of regional el- evations and associated climate variations have produced a wide variation of terrestrial vegetation types. The mountains are still largely covered with native grasslands and mostly coniferous forest vegetation, the latter rang- ing from juniper scrub at low altitudes through ponderosa and lodgepole pines at middle elevations, to subalpine fir, Engelmann spruce and limber pine transitional to alpine tundra, which begins at 9,800–11,400 feet. Most of the still-forested areas lie within the 1.1 million-acre Bighorn National Forest. We defined the Bighorn region as encompassing or about 6,800 square miles (latilong blocks 4 and 5), and determined that at least 327 bird spe- cies have been reliably reported from the region, plus 15 species of hypo- thetical status. This compared with a total of 427 species reported for all of Wyoming as of 2010 (Faulkner, 2010). Breeding within the region has been confirmed for 190 species. Among the breeders, 77 species have breeding ranges that were classified as to having an either clearly eastern-oriented or western-oriented affinity in North America. Of these, 55 (71 percent) were judged to be western-oriented and 22 (29 percent) eastern-oriented, indicat- ing that the strongest zoogeographic affinities of Bighorn region birds are with western North America. Species descriptions indicate relative abundance, breeding status by lati- long, locality/date records for rarer species, and other relevant information. Many regional birding areas are described and mapped, and results of recent regional breeding bird surveys and seasonal bird counts are summarized. Line drawings illustrate representatives of each of the 53 avian families doc- umented for the region, and there are more than 60 literature citations. 7 Table of Contents Preface . 11 Foreword to the 1st Edition (1990) . 12 Acknowledgments for the 1st Edition (1990) . 12 Seasonal Abundance and Distributional Terminology . 13 Molt, Plumage, and Age Terminology . 14 Foreword to the 2nd Edition (2013) . 14 Acknowledgments for the 2nd Edition (2013) . 16 Part I. The Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming Physiography and Vegetation Zones in the Bighorn Mountains . 19 Bird Distribution in the Bighorn Mountains . 23 Geology and Biogeography of the Bighorn Mountains . 27 Notes on Regional Birding . 34 Birding Areas by Vegetation Type . 35 Suggested Birding Locations and Site Descriptions . 36 Birding Loops Sheridan and South Sheridan Loop . 37 North Sheridan Loop . 41 Dayton Loop . 45 Story Loop . 48 Buffalo Loop . 53 Birding in the Bighorn Mountains Roadless Areas . 56 Suggested Roadless-Area Birding Trails. 57 Birding by Car in the Bighorn Mountains . 59 Part II. Annotated List of Regional Birds Family Anatidae: Waterfowl . 64 Family Phasianidae: Partridges, Grouse & Pheasants . 75 Family Gaviidae: Loons . 79 Family Podicipedidae: Grebes . 81 Family Phalacrocoracidae: Cormorants . 84 8 Contents Family Pelecanidae: Pelicans. 85 Family Ardeidae: Bitterns & Herons . 86 Family Threskiornithidae: Ibises . 90 Family Cathartidae: American Vultures. 92 Family Pandionidae: Ospreys . 94 Family Accipitridae: Hawks & Eagles. 96 Family Rallidae: Rails & Coots . 102 Family Gruidae: Cranes . 104 Family Charadriidae: Plovers . 106 Family Recurvirostridae: Stilts and Avocets . 109 Family Scolopacidae: Sandpipers & Snipes. 111 Family Laridae: Gulls & Terns . 119 Family Stercorariidae: Jaegers . 123 Family Columbidae: Pigeons & Doves . 125 Family Cuculidae: Cuckoos . 127 Family Tytonidae: Barn Owls . 129 Family Strigidae: Typical Owls . 130 Family Caprimulgidae: Poorwills & Nighthawks. 134 Family Apodidae: Swifts . 136 Family Trochilidae: Hummingbirds . 138 Family Alcedinidae: Kingfishers . 140 Family Picidae: Woodpeckers . 141 Family Falconidae: Falcons . 146 Family Tyrannidae: American Flycatchers . 149 Family Laniidae: Shrikes . 154 Family Vireonidae: Vireos . 156 Family Corvidae: Crows, Jays & Magpies . 158 Family Alaudidae: Larks . 162 Family Hirundinidae: Swallows . 164 Family Paridae: Titmice & Chickadees . 168 Family Sittidae: Nuthatches . 170 Family Certhiidae: Creepers . 172 Family Troglodytidae: Wrens . 174 Family Polioptilidae: Gnatcatchers . 177 Family Cinclidae: Dippers . 179 Family Regulidae: Kinglets . 181 Contents 9 Family Turdidae: Thrushes . 183 Family Mimidae: Mockingbirds & Relatives . 188 Family Sturnidae: Starlings . 190 Family Motacillidae: Pipits . 191 Family Bombycillidae: Waxwings . 193 Family Calcariidae: Longspurs and Snow Buntings . 195 Family Parulidae: American Warblers . 197 Family Emberizidae: Towhees & Sparrows. 205 Family Cardinalidae: Cardinals & Grosbeaks . 215 Family Icteridae: Blackbirds, Orioles & Bobolink . 219 Family Fringillidae: Northern Finches . 224 Family Passeridae: Old World Sparrows. 230 Hypothetical and Questionable Species . 231 Appendix Tables 1–3: Regional North American Breeding Bird Surveys (BBS) . 233 Table 4: Christmas Bird Counts (CBC) for Story/Big Horn, Sheridan, Buffalo, Wyo.. 241 References . 242 Index to Species . 247 About the Authors. 251 B B B List of Maps Major Birding Locations of North Central Wyoming . 28 Sheridan and South Sheridan Loop . 39 North Sheridan Loop . 42 Dayton Loop . 46 Story Loop . 49 Story, Wyoming . 52 Buffalo Loop . 54 11 Preface Helen Davidson Downing was born in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1917. Before she started school, the Davidson family moved to Monett, a small town in southwest Missouri where her father worked for the St. Louis & San Francisco (“Frisco”) Railroad. Helen graduated from Monett High School in 1935, and during World War II attended air-traffic control school where she met her future husband, Darrel Downing. Helen worked in air traffic control as a weather specialist during the war and for a few years -af ter. Helen and Darrel married in Kansas City, Missouri in 1947 and a short time later they moved to Laramie, Wyoming, Darrel’s new air traffic con- trol duty station. Their daughter, Ariel, was born in Laramie. The family later moved to Sheridan, Wyoming. Helen worked occasionally in air traffic control, and had jobs in local businesses and as registrar at Sheridan Col- lege, the local community college. Helen’s interest in birding began in Sheridan around 1960 and after re- tirement she spent innumerable hours studying birds in the Sheridan area and around north central Wyoming. She loved to carefully observe birds and record their habits. Her many reports are known for their thoroughness and meticulous detail. Helen was co-author on the 1982 book Wyoming Avian At- las, which was updated and incorporated into the Wyoming Bird and Mammal Atlas published in 1992 by the Wyoming Game and Fish