PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE

HOW A ORNITHOLOGISTS" lUP^IIOfNJ

VOL. VIII DECEMBER, 1938 NO. 4

OFFICERS OF THE IOWA ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION
President— 0. S. Thomas, Rock Rapids, Iowa
Vice-President— Miss Lillian Serbousek, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Sec >T re as.— Miss Kate E. LaMar, 1231 30 th St.,

Des Moines, Iowa

Editor— Fred J. Pierce, Winthrop, Iowa

Executive Council:

J. Wilbur Dole, Fairfield, Iowa
Ethan A. Hemsley, Dubuque. Iowa
B. O, W olden, Estherville, Iowa

Ex-officio Council Members (Past Presidents) :

Walter M. Rosen Dr. F. L. R. Roberts

Arthur J. Palas Dr. G. 0, Hendrickson

Walter W. Bennett M. L. Jones

The Iowa Ormthnloglsts' Union was organized at Ames. Iowa. February 28.
| ! 923, for the study and protection of native birds and to promote fraternal re-

lations among Iowa bird .Undents.

I The central design of the Union's official seal is the Eastern Goldfinch, designated
I State Uird of Iowa in 1 U3:t.

I Publications of tho Union: Mimeographed letters, 1023-1028: The Bulletin.'

| 1929-1930 : ‘Iowa Bird Life.' beginning 1031.

j SUBSCRIPTION RATES: In Iowa, $1.00 a year (includes

J membership dues). Outside of Iowa, 50c a year. Special rate
for all libraries, 50c a year. Single copies 15c each. (Keep the
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EDITORIAL AND PUBLICATION OFFICE
WINTHROP, IOWA

Entered as second-class matter February 0, 1932. at the post office at Winthrop, Iowa,
under the Act of March 3, 1870.

PRAIRIE CHICKENS: A SCENE IN EARLY IOWA

PRAIRIE CHICKENS IN IOWA

47

GREATER PRAIRIE CHICKEN BREEDING IN
DAVIS COCNTY, IOWA, 1938

By MAURICE F. BAKER and GEORGE 0. HENDRICKSON*

The status of the Greater Prairie Chicken (Tympanttcbus capiJo amcncauas
Reich.) in Iowa has been under the scrutiny of the Iowa Ornithologists’
Union since its organization. DuMont (1933) reported that remnants
of breeding flocks resided in 20 counties, and Youngworth (1936) listed
approximately 40 counties as having breeding flocks of Prairie Chickens.
Neither of the quoted writers gave explicit data concerning nests,
young, numbers of individuals, exact localities of breeding, or cover
conditions for the bird.

During the past five summers the junior writer has inquired about
nesting Prairie Chickens and followed up reports of breeding birds in
many localities. A number of members of the Union have observed
adult Prairie Chickens particularly in winter and late in the spring but
have not obtained breeding records of the bird in recent years. The
State Conservation Officers have co-operated splendidly in stimulating
watchfulness and in securing reports of the birds from sportsmen and
farmers. Because of the efforts of Officer Clyde Updegraff in Davis
County, finally a vigilant farm boy, Roger Fry, discerned the nest of
Greater Prairie Chicken and the information was furnished to the
.senior writer. The junior writer late in August joined in a close search
for Prairie Chickens in the vicinity of the nesting site. Between August
25 and 28, on adjacent Sections 5 and 8 (east), West Grove Township,
Davis County, six adults and two broods of young Greater Prairie
Chickens were observed. Section 5 is in an organized Game Manage-
ment Area on which particular protection and care have been given
for several years to Bob-whites and Prairie Chickens by Paul Woolard,
a resident farmer on the area, and by his neighbors.

The two above-mentioned sections are part of an almost level area
of tableland about two miles wide and five miles long surrounded by
roughly eroded tracts. In regard to crops, nearly one-half the area
was in timothy, partly mown for hay and partly cut and shocked for
reed. Usually red clover had been sown with the timothy but generally
it. had not succeeded. The remaining acreage was about equally di-
vided into small fields of corn, shocked oats or oats stubble fields, and
larger fields of bluegvass pasture, for the most part lightly grazed.

Several farmers of the area spoke of seeing Prairie Chickens in
winter, and from their remarks it seemed that 30 to 40 Prairie Chickens
were in the area during the cold period. In soring, apparently all had
left except seven which remained on the Fry farm, the northeast
quarter of Section 8, where they were frequently seen throughout the
spring. This farm has a somewhat larger acreage of timothy and is
more nearly level than other neighboring farms. Also much of the
timothy had been headed, or clipped high, for seed the previous year,
and a half-dozen small stacks of the threshed timothy straw were
scattered over the fields. The birds were often seen on those stacks
in spring and early summer, but the several members of the Fry family
differed among themselves as to how much or little the low stacks,
three to eight feet high, were used as drumming centers. One adult
chicken was reported as killed by a hawk late in spring, leaving six,
which was the number observed by the writers late in August.

The single observed nest was found on June 11 when the Fry boy
was crossing a timothy field. At that time the hen walked from the
nest, but the eggs were not touched by the boy. The senior writer

•Journal Paper No. J-'fll of the Iowa Acric'iltural Experiment Station, Amea, Iowa,
Project No. -104. Town Slate Collette in to -o iteration with the Iowa State Conservation
Commission, the United States Biological Survey, and the American Wildlife Institute.

48

IOWA EIRD LIFE — VIII, 1938

was notified on the following day, and he advised that no one go near
the nest again. On June 25 he went to the Fry farm to see the nest
and it appeared to have been abandoned. The nest was situated in a
clump of timothy of which the stems were taller and the stand denser
than the surrounding grass. The stems around the nest were so close
together that the site was concealed very well. The nesting materials
were chiefiy old timothy stems and a few timothy leaves in a layer
about one inch thick. As it may be presumed., the materials were
arranged so as to form a hollow in the center of the nest, but the soil
was level underneath. The 12 eggs in the nest were collected several
days later for the Iowa State College Museum, and it was apparent
that at least several were fertile.

On August 25 the first observed signs of the chickens were a few
feathers, droppings and dust baths found between the first few rows
of corn at the edges of two small cornfields of the Fry farm. Later
in the day four adults were flushed from deeper in a field as the ob-
servers walked through at intervals of 15 rows. In the afternoon of
the same day and twice more in the next two days four adults, pre-
sumably the same ones each time, were flushed from the same field.
Usually, the birds flew to a large lightly-grazed bluegrass pasture on
the Woolard farm, Section 5, just across the road from the cornfield
or to an adjacent uncut timothy field of the Fry farm. From such
actions it may be suggested that the adults spent the very warm day-
light hours in the cooler cornfields. Walking at intervals of five rods
through the uncut timothy, approximately 50 acres, on the Fry farm
the observers found nine roosting sites of Prairie Chickens as evi-
denced by droppings, At this point it may be stated that but one
Ring-necked Pheasant, a male, was observed on the two sections in
the three davs of intensive search. Droppings characteristic of pheas-
ant were noticed twice in the corn and once in the unharvested timothy,
and a secondary wing feather of a pheasant was found in the corn.
The farm folk of the two sections said they had seen no pheasant hens
or young on the farms, but had seen two male pheasants. Later in
the %veek more pheasants, adults and young, but no Prairie Chickens,
were found in another part of the county on farms with a large' 1
acreage, nearly 75 per cent of the area, in corn and small grain, and
consequently a lower percentage of acres in grass for hay and pasture
than in the area inhabited by the Prairie Chickens.

The first brood of three young, about three-fourths grown, and one
adult, apparently a female, were first seen August 26 at six p. m., near
sunset, in a small field of shocked oats on the northwest quarter of
Section 8. When flushed they flew to a small adjacent cornfield from
which the adult was flushed again but not the young. The adult when
leaving the cornfield struck the upper strand of a woven-wire fence
and about one-eighth mile east of there struck the upper barbed wire
of a fence as the bird lowered to alight in a field of standing timothy.
Only two or three body feathers were found at each site of the fences,
and the chicken could not be flushed from the timothy. On the evening
of August 27, three young and one adult were flushed from the same
oats field as on the previous Hay. Search in the two cornfields ad-
jacent to the oats revealed dust baths, a few feathers, and droppings
indicating three young and one adult chickens, though they were not
flushed from the corn. After systematic search through the bluegrass
pasture and the other fields of Section 5. seven voung, about three-
fourths grown, and one adult were flushed from the shade of a small
natch of thistles and other weeds near an old ouail feeding shelter at
the edge of the pasture. After flushing, the birds flew across a shallow
grassy and wooded ravine. The chickens alighted in the weedy pasture
land just beyond the ravine, but were not flushed again during one
hour of attempt by the observers. Prairie Chicken dust baths were
not clearly di^erneH jn the fields of Section 5, but a few droppings
were seen in the fields.

BANDING BIRDS AT LIZARD LAKE

40

Earlier in the day a covey of 14 Bob- whites, mostly well-grown
young, was flushed near a short row of Osage orange between the two
pastures mentioned above and within a few rods of the site from
which the larger brood of Prairie Chickens had taken flight. Reported
observations of the Fry and Woolard families suggest that the brood
of seven Prairie Chickens was reared on Section 8, and hence the
writers had probably driven the birds into the range of the Bob-whites.

Literature Cited

DuMont, Philip A,

1983. A Revised List of the Birds of Iowa. Univ. of Iowa Studies
in Natural History* 15 (5): 1-171.

Youngworth, William

1936. The Present Status of the Prairie Chicken in Iowa. Iowa Bird
Life 6 (1) : 3-5,

BANDING BIRDS AT LIZARD LAKE

By MR. AND MRS. M. L. JONES

POMEROY, IOWA

There seems to be something about the bird hike of the annual
meeting of the Iowa Ornithologists' Union which causes one to want
to go on observing birds indefinitely. At least we were thus smitten
and hied ourselves off to Lizard Lake, a small body of water northwest
of Fort Dodge in Pocahontas County. Like many shallow lakes in
this part of Iowa, it was bordered with the usual shallow water
vegetation.

Much amusement was afforded by the cavorting of two pairs of
Ruddy Ducks, as they dived, skimmed the water and played tag. Their
ability to skim the surface of the water, half flying and half swimming,
was amazing. To watch them for a time convinces one that Disney will
have difficulty in ascribing too much animation to “Donald Duck".
Our variety list for the day, while containing no unusual records, was
fairly complete and representative. In fact, it was our largest daily
record for any season. A Florida Gallinule, several King Rails, Black-
crowned Night Herons and Marsh Wrens were observed at close range,
while the Yellow-headed Blackbirds were everywhere. The nest-build-
ing of the Yellow-head!, while not so far advanced on the average as
that of the Red-wing, was well under way. Many nests were found
and a few contained one or two eggs.

Since the nests of the Yellow-headed Blackbirds were so numerous,
it seemed that we might later profit from a day of bird-banding in
that region. With this in mind on June 2, 1938, the area was again
visited, but incubation was not as far along as had been expected on
account of hard rains and winds which had emptied or destroyed many
of the earlier nests. While looking over the area we found a number
of floating nests which were not postively identified. Also on this date
we found an egg which had apparently been deposited outside of any
nest along the lake bark. We were told by the farmer near by that
the egg had been there at least as early as May 29. The egg was later
identified by Dr. Hendrickson as that of a King Rail.

We considered that June 21 was about as late as we could stay in
that vicinity and visited Lizard Lake on that day. For four and a
half hours we waded about among the rushes and reeds, literally pluck-
ing young birds from the air. Many of them were old enough to be
out of the nest and were depending upon their protective coloration
for concealment, for, as one approached, the young birds “froze" with
heads erect, not unlike the stance of a Bittern. It was therefore a
simple matter to pick most of them from their perches.

50

IOWA BIRD LIFE— VIII, 1988

FEMALE YELLOW-HEADED ItLACKIURD FEEDING
YOUNG

] 1 h^toirni|>hpd hy M. L. Jon pa

Bird-banding: in deep water, although interesting, is somewhat labor-
ious. Nothing carried in the hand could be carried with arms relaxed
as it would be submerged. Pockets were too low, even a shirt pocket
at times dipped into the water, especially if one slipped into a hole
or stumbled over the entangled vegetation. Since pockets were use-
less, the only high and dry place for the necessary banding equipment
proved to be under the hat. It usually required an assistant to handle
bands, books and pliers. Even the birds were sometimes wet when
in trying to escape, as only a few did, they dropped into the water.
It was interesting to notice that upon getting into the water they
quickly managed to swim to some leaning plant stem and climb well
out on top.

Most of the Red-winged Blackbirds had flown so that only four
were captured and banded. The Yellow-heads, however, seemed to be
the more numerous of the two species and the young not so far ad-
vanced, At any rate, we succeeded in banding 22 of them.

We hope to devise some method for capturing adult Yellow-headed
Blackbirds in considerable numbers, otherwise return records will not
be obtained in any gratifying numbers. It seems most unfortunate
that funds can not be made available to the Biological Survey for more
extensive banding operations. Bird-banders receive no remuneration
for their time or equipment. (The equipment may range from a few
dollars to several thousand dollars.) The bands, however, are fur-
nished by the Biological Survey. The cost of the clerical work re-
quired for keeping the records of millions of birds available for ready
reference must be appalling.

Many requests for banding permits are refused because of a lack
of Federal funds. Until this is adjusted, return records will not be
of sufficient volume for a maximum benefit to the student of orni-
thology, nor to hold the interest of the isolated operator. Doubling
the number of stations in the Middle West would undoubtedly result
in four times the number of return records, while with so few stations,
the great majority of birds wearing a band will never stray into a
second banding station.

BIRDS IN WESTERN IOWA

51

BIRD OBSERVATIONS IN WESTERN IOWA

By IVAN BOYD

SHELBY, IOWA

Bird lovers always hate to see the migration of birds end so quickly
in the spring, and likewise, reluctantly bid farewell to our own summer
residents when they leave in the fad. At the time this article was
written the migration of sparrows was at its height. Birds, both mi-
gratory and permanent residents, that I have observed in the past 12
years in Union, Adair, Cass, and Shelby Counties, Iowa, have afforded
me a greater appreciation of the great outdoors.

Ornithologists in these four counties are not as fortunate, as those
in areas along the Mississippi. Missouri, and other large rivers of the
state. Wooded areas are small, lakes are scarce, and ground cover
is limited. The trees remaining arc being rapidly cut for stove wood.
The lakes are artificial and usually shores are grazed so closely that
they provide very little cover for shore or water birds. The native
prairie would have afforded excellent protection for many feathered
creatures, but it too has been ruthlessly destroyed. I know of two
fields of prairie land that have been plowed within the last year. One
of the fields contained 40 acres. Destroying our native prairie plants
not only upsets the natural habitat for many of our ground-nesting
birds but also the natural habitat of other wild-life. A few farmers
in Cass County are taking an interest in beneficial birds and are leav-
ing corners of some fields untouched. Those having timber are letting
some of the dead trees remain for the use of those birds which nest in
holes made in trees.

The Starlings are rapidly increasing in this part of Iowa, but it is
my belief that they will not cause serious damage to other nesting
birds. These birds seem to prefer the barnyard and trees near by
rather than the timber. In this respect they are like the English
Sparrow, Just occasionally a Starling nest may be found far away
from dwellings.

The two artificial lakes at Creston are void of tall grasses, and very
little swampy ground can be found. The Great Blue Heron, American
Bittern, Killdeer, Wilson's Snipe, Spotted Sandpiper, Greater and Lesser
Yellowlegs, Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers and Black Tern have
been observed along the shore. Mallards, Blue-winged Teal, Scaup,
American Merganser, American Coot, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull
and White Pelican were seen last spring (1938) during migration. I
missed the opportunity of seeing 25 or 30 Pelicans which landed on
McKinley Lake at Creston last spring. This is the first report of these
birds in this community. They remained on the lake about 24 hours.

Red-tailed and Sparrow Hawks are quite numerous. While driving
along by-roads of Adair and Cass Counties it is unusual not to see 5

or 6 Sparrow Hawks and almost as many Red-tailed Hawks. Red-

shouldered and Marsh Hawks are less common but are occasionally
seen. I haven't seen a turkey vulture for many years in any of these
four counties. They evidently remain near more wooded areas. As
evidence of this I counted approximately 65 of the vultures on Sept.
5, 1938, soaring in the air over the wooded area in Lacey-Keosauqua
State Park. Prior to this I had never seen more than six at one time.
The reduction of game has no doubt caused the disappearance of the
Turkey Vulture in some parts of the state.

At the southern edge of Union County and the southwest corner of
Cass County are two large tracts of undisturbed timber. Whip-poor-
wills and Barred Owls are quite numerous there. The only occasion
I have had of seeing a Great Horned Owl in Shelby County was one

that had been shot by a farmer who said it had been disturbing his

52

IOWA BIRD LIFE— VIII, 1938

chickens. Cedar Waxwings were seen in flocks of 15 or 20 birds at
various times all summer. Surely they must nest here but I have found
none of their nests. Likewise the Warbling Vireo and the Blue-gray
Gnatcatcher could be heard or seen almost any day in some dense tree
in the woods. Mockingbirds have nested at two different places four
years in succession, near Atlantic. Probably the same pairs come back
each year, as they have built their nest near the same place every
spring. By the middle of August I had heard the buzzing “tseep” of
the Brown Creeper and the call of the Tufted Titmouse. Either some
of them remained with us all summer, possibly nesting here, or they
started their fall migration unusually early.

Perhaps others have wondered, as I have, if our winter bird inhabi-
tants are increasing in species or if the mild winters have caused some
birds such as Meadowlarks, Robins, Cardinals, Bluebirds, Mourning
Doves, Bronzed Grackles, Red-headed Woodpeckers and even the Mock-
ingbird to linger with us all winter. Since lack of food, rather than
cold weather, influences the migration, perhaps the increase of feeding
stations has caused this change. Some of the more experienced ob-
servers tell me that 25 years ago the Cardinal was seldom seen either
in winter or summer this far north.

The last Quail I have heard or seen in any of these counties was in
Cass in 1935, On a soil conservation farm near Floris, Iowa, it is
estimated that there are 50 to 00 Quail in four coveys. Practically
all the 187 acres are suitable cover for game birds. To my knowledge
only one Red-breasted Nuthatch has been seen in Cass County, That
record was made November 1, 1931, in Atlantic, The Red-bellied
Woodpeckers are being seen much more frequently. The Dickcissel
probably is more abundant in western than in eastern Iowa. I have
counted as many as 15 Diekcissels on one mile of highway. Probably
no bird in the state, unless it is the Indigo Bunting, sings more per-
sistently while sitting on the telephone wire. Could there have been
enough resin weeds on the early prairie before telephone wire was
made to supply perches for all the Diekcissels? Old-timers tell us that
the resin weed was the favorite perch of the Dickcissel, that being one
of the tallest and heaviest weeds of the prairie.

GENERAL NOTES

Canadian Pine Groibeak at Arne*, — On October 30, 1938, Mr. and
Mrs. B. R. Rozeboom informed us that a Canadian Pine Grosbeak had
been seen on each of the four previous days at the State Highway
Commission Building grounds, Ames. We drove down at noon of that
date and observed the grosbeak feeding on the white snowberries of
the shrubbery at the north side of the building. The bird remained
in the neighborhood and was seen to feed again upon the snowberries
at 3 p. m. Shortly thereafter it flew north toward the College woods
and has not been observed since. DuMont (*A Revised List of the
Birds of Iowa’, 1933) lists this grosbeak as a “very rare winter visitor”.
— GEORGE 0. HENDRICKSON, Ames, Iowa.

American Egrets at Waterloo.— O ne of the city mail carriers asked
me about some large white birds he had seen near Miltersdale, south
of Waterloo, so I drove down to see them on August 25, 1938. They
proved to be American Egrets — beautiful snowy white birds with black
legs and yellow bill. I saw only two, but others had seen as many as
eight or ten there quite regularly for some time. They were last seen
about October 1. On one trip I saw 13 Great Blue Herons with one
egret with them. Egrets are more wary than herons and take flight
first. — HARVEY NICHOLS. Waterloo, [owa.

GENERAL NOTES

American Egret* and Other Birdi in Emmet County. — American
Egrets were more numerous in Emmet County during the fall of 1938
tnan in any previous year. The following observations of these birds
were made by C. F. Woiden, at High Lake and vicinity. He saw the
first one on August 22, and two on the following day. They were
occasionally seen for several weeks, and on September 15 he saw nine
in one dock, and one alone, on the wing. On September 18 he saw
four on a little lake (Bur Oak Lake) southwest of High Lake. The
Ust one was observed on October 12.

On May 20-21, 1938, 1 observed 14 Hudsonian Godwits in a flooded
field.

On September 2, 1938, a Whip-poor-will was heard at dawn close
to our home at Estherville. These birds have been very rare here for
many years, although individuals have been heard at High Lake during
spring migrations. — B. 0. WOLDEN, Estherville, Iowa.

Th« American Eijret in Northwest Iowa. In DuMont's 'Birds of

Iowa’ the American Egret is listed as “Formerly a common late summer
visitor, but absent for nearly twenty years'*. He goes on to say; “The
egret may be expected in increasing numbers as a iate summer visitor**.
This was written in 1933, and the prediction is proving to be correct
as reports of the bird have become more regular each year.

On August 24, 1938, in company with Wilfred Crabb, State Natural-
ist at Stone Park, I saw an American Egret flying low over a swamp
area in Liberty Township, Woodbury County, Iowa. Mr. Crabb and
1 returned to the spot on the second day after and found seven of the
birds. We succeeded in collecting an adult female which is now in
the study collection of the department of biology at Morningside
College. Six birds were seen on the 27th by Mr. Crabb, in the same
place, and on September 2 the writer visited the area again and found
four of the birds. The stomach of the bird collected was found to
contain two small beetles and numerous grasshoppers. The contents
of the stomach have been preserved and are now in the possession of
the writer. — BRUCE STILES, Council Bluffs, Iowa.

American Egrets at Dubuque. — American Egrets seem to be recap-
turing some of their former northern range. Listed as formerly breed-
ing north to Wisconsin, they are again coming north in greatly in-
creasing numbers during the late summer and early fall months. After
the era of terrific slaughter for their plumes for the millinery trade,
these slender, white birds were rarely seen in this vicinity prior to
1930. This fall they were reported from numerous points along the
Mississippi River in numbers from one to several hundred,

I first observed them, in 1938, across the river from Eagle Point
Park, on July 25. Evidently, a flock of 35 had but recently arrived
and were located in a comparatively small area. On July 28 I could
count but 25, and these were much more scattered. They were evi-
dently spreading out over the bottom lands in search of feeding and
resting grounds. This number gradually decreased until on October 1,
I saw but one bird. No doubt, by this time the others had begun their
return journey to the sunny south. My maximum count of 35 this year
was more than double that of last year when I counted 16 in the same
area.

This is a wonderful come-back for a species of which T. Gilbert
Pearson wrote, in part, in ‘Birds of America’, date of article not given:
“For several years past the National Association of Audubon Societies
has been employing guards to protect the few remaining breeding
colonies .... but it is debatable whether the species can be saved,
altho without the efforts of the Audubon Society the bird would have
disappeared entirely by this time,’’ — ETHAN HEMSLEV, Dubuque,
Iowa.

54

IOWA BIRD LIFE— VIII, 1938

American Egret. — I saw five American Egrets on September 20 and
three on October 1, 1938, both records made at a small pond about
one and a half miles east of Tama.* — THEODORE R. SWEM, Ames,
Iowa.

Auguft Record* from McGregor. — During six days at the National
Wild Life School at McGregor, Iowa, a total of 92 species of birds was
recorded by the group attending the School. A flock of nine American
Egrets which were seen from the Heights with the aid of a telescope,
and a flock of five American Egrets and two Little Blue Herons which
were seen and identified by several people on the steamer excursion on
August 4, 1938, probably provided the biggest thrills. These birds
were seen on both the Iowa and the Wisconsin sides of the Mississippi
River, near McGregor. They were seen at reasonably close range, and
the identifying marks — size and bill color — were easily seen. One of
the herons had definitely bluish primaries. On the night of August
3, a Barn Owl was seen just outside of the Heights Hotel. Other un-
usual birds on the week’s list were Wood Duck, Pileated Woodpecker,
Rutfed Grouse, Turkey Vulture, and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. — MARY
E, ROBERTS, Springdale (West Liberty), Iowa, and JACK W. MUS-
GROVE, Des Moines, Iowa.

Fall Migration at Conesville. — Between September 1 and November
1, 1938, I have observed the following species of birds in or near the
extensive marsh at Conesville, Iowa; Sharp-shinned, Cooper’s, Red-
tailed, Marsh and Sparrow Hawks, Great Horned, Short-eared and
Barred Owls, Hooded Merganser (one), Black Duck, Mallard, Shoveller,
Gadwall, Green-winged and Blue-winged Teal, Pintail, Wood Duck,
Canvas-back, Ring-neck, Lesser Scaup, Ruddy Duck, Blue, Snow and
Canada Geese, Double-crested Cormorant, Yellow Rail (one observed),
Sora, Virginia and King Rails, American and Least Bitterns, American
Egret (about 30), Great Blue, Black-crowned Night and Green Herons,
Wilson’s Snipe, Killdeer, Lesser Yellow-legs, Pectoral Sandpiper, Wood-
cock (10), Pied-billed Grebe, Coot, Herring Gull, Ring-necked Pheas-
ant, Quail, Rusty, Brewer’s and Red-winged Blackbirds, Bronzed
Grackle, Starling, Robin, Bluebird, Eastern Meadowlark, Goldfinch,
Kingfisher, Blue Jay, Crow, Barn, Rough-winged and Bank Swallows,
English, Swamp, White-throated and Song Sparrows, Junco, Long-billed
Marsh Wren. The list of ducks includes almost all those normally
recorded for Iowa. Those missing are Redhead, American and Red-
breasted Mergansers and Bufflehead,

The Wood Ducks were quite common until about October 20. They
were mostly in flocks of from 2 to 50, and the total number observed
is estimated at 500.

A duck which was apparently a hybrid between a Black Duck and
a Mallard was shot at Concevillc November 6, 1938. The plumage
of this bird was similar to that of the Black Duck except that the
speculum had large white edges. The Black Duck does not have a
white-edged speculum, while the Mallard does.

On November 12 and 13 very few ducks were left in the marsh ex-
cept Lesser Scaup, Ring-necks and Mallards. The Mallards were most
numerous, and probably totaled several thousand. They seemed to
be feeding in cornfields, mostly on shelled com left in the wake of
mechanical pickers, and a large majority of them were heavily loaded
with corn.

Two female Golden Eagles, which were shot in Iowa, have been
received by the State Historical Museum in Des Moines. No further
data are available for these birds. — JACK W. MUSGROVE, Des
Moines, Iowa.

Record, from Central low*.— From November 2, 1937, to February
17, 1938, I saw 23 Rough-legged Hawks. The Red-tailed Hawk was
noted in decreasing numbers. The Short-eared Owl was recorded on
December 15, 18 and 20, 1937. Bob-whites are very scarce, and my
only record is a covey of 12, seen on December 20, 1937. Greater
Prairie Chickens were noted as follows: two on December 16, five on
December 17, and four on December 20. 1937. I saw two Meadowlarks
on December 16, 1937. On May 19, 1937, I saw a pair of Mocking-
birds, my first record of this species. My first impression was that
they were shrikes; but the large white patches on wings, very con-
spicuous in flight, and their different manner of flight, indicated they
were Mockingbirds. My best bird record for this year, was a flock of
20 or 25 Golden Plovers, which alighted on a plowed field and were
observed at close range, on May 15, 1938. My only previous record
is May, 1909. — HENRY BIRKELAND, Roland, Iowa.

Brown Thra.her Evict. Catbird.— For the past six years a pair of
Catbirds have built their first nest in the shrubs on the south side of
our garden gate, and have raised their second brood on the north side.
They completed their nest as usual last spring, and there was one egg
in the nest when a pair of Brown Thrashers came and, with very little
quarreling, took over the Catbirds' nest. I saw the thrasher nose out,
so to speak, the Catbird egg. I didn't see the thrashers take a single
piece of nesting material into the nest, although it might have been
done. The Brown Thrashers reared a brood of four young in this nest.
The Catbirds immediately built a second nest on the north side of the
gate. 18 feet from their first nest, and raised their young successfully.
There was never any enmity between the birds at any time. A pair
of Blue Jays reared their young in a tree the branches of which ex-
tended over the nests of both Catbird and Brown Thrasher, while a
House Wren nested in a box 5 Vi feet above the Catbird.— WALTER
L. BURK, Vinton, Iowa.

Late Departure Date, in the Fall Migration. — A comparison of fall
departure records over a period of years will reveal many ‘‘average"
dates and a few late ones. Quite a number of so-called summer resi-
dents, such as various hawks, Mourning Dove, Belted Kingfisher, Red-
headed Woodpecker, Robin, Meadowlarks and blackbirds, often remain
well up into the winter, their lingering seeming to depend more on
availability of food rather than on cold weather. Late dates for such
species do not have especial significance. My own records go back
for 20 years, and I have found that in addition to a long series of
average dates of departure, there are quite a number that seem to
be quite late. I am listing some of these below, all records having
been made within Buchanan County unless otherwise noted.

Pied-billed Grebe, Nov. 18, 1931
Nighthawk, Oct. 2, 1931, Keokuk
County

Ruby-thr, Hummingbird, Oct. 4,
1931, Jasper County
Phoebe, Oct. 21, 1931, Clayton Co.
Tree Swallow, Oct. 23, 1931
Barn Swallow, Sept. 20, 1924
House Wren, Oct, 4, 1937
Catbird, Oct. 6, 1927
Brown Thrasher, Oct. 9, 19*27
Gray-cheeked Thrush, Oct. 11,
1931

—FRED J. PIERCE.

Bluebird, Nov. 28, 1933
Myrtle Warbler, Nov. 1, 1931
Palm Warbler, Oct. 17, 1925
Bobolink, Sept, 25, 1938
Cowbird, Sept, 21, 1932
Rose- breasted Grosbeak, Oct, 2,
1927

Red-eyed Towhee, Oct. 21, 1928
Vesper Sparrow, Nov. 25, 1921)
Fox Sparrow, Nov, 9, 1930
Field Sparrow, Oct. 30, 1933
Swamp Sparrow, Oct, 24, 1931
Song Sparrow, Nov. 1, 1925

5<5

IOWA BIRD LIFE— VIII, 1938

R«dpotl at Dubuque. — I saw a Common Redpoll at the north edge
of Dubuque on October 30, 1938, This was the first one I had ever
seen, so 1 was careful to look it over closely to be positive of its identi-
fication. The Minnesota migration dates given for it would make this
seem quite early for its appearance here, but about this time southern
Minnesota had experienced a heavy snowstorm, which may account for
its appearance. — ETHAN HEMSLEY, Dubuque, Iowa.

Wild Duck* in Cornfield* —Just north of here there were about 5,000
ducks in the cornfields every night for several weeks in November,
1938, All were Mallards except for a few Pintails and Wild Geese.
It is reported that the new dams in the Mississippi raised the water
and the wild rice in the river was killed out. This caused the ducks
to come inland to feed, which is an unusual situation here. — 0. P.
ALLERT, Giard, via McGregor, Iowa,

American Magpie* Neat in Bremer County, Iowa, the Second Succes-
sive Year. — Two years ago a pair of Magpies came to the John Jen-
nings farm near the south county line of Bremer County and have
lived there continuously since that time. Early in December, 1936,
they arrived, apparently winter migrants; but when spring came they
continued to stay, and in April built a nest in the orchard. Six eggs
were laid, incubated and hatched. Neighbors’ children took the young
for pets but they did not survive in captivity, perhaps because of lack
of proper food and care. (See account of this first nesting in Septem-
ber, 1937, issue of ‘Iowa Bird Life', p. 34.)

The adult birds continued to make this farm their home through
the winter of 1937-'38 and again in April, 1938, built a nest in the
same location as the preceding year. Seven young were hatched and
neighbors’ children were allowed to take them for pets, but again they
were not successful in raising the young. The adult birds evidently
arc not easily discouraged, as they continue to make this farm their
home although they were robbed of their brood in the two successive
years. They hatched one brood each year.

The orchard, which is adjacent to the poultry yard, is the place
they selected for their nest. It was built about 12 feet from the
ground in the top of a plum tree and closely protected on the north
by a taller mulberry tree. The barrel-shaped nest is about 3 feet high
and about 2 feet thick; the opening or entrance is on the south side
and is 6 to 8 inches in diameter. The nest was constructed of thick
coarse sticks and the cup of the nest was lined with grasses and fine
twigs. At the time of my last trip to the farm, which was early in
October, 1938, the Magpies were using the nest as a roosting place.
When we arrived at the farm at 6:30 a. in. the Magpies were chatter-
ing and quarreling with other birds in the treetops. Smaller birds
were dashing about in the orchard, excited and alarmed. After the
Magpies had flown away to another farm, peace and quiet was soon
restored.

As to food habits — this past summer the Magpies consumed quantities
of tent caterpillars in the walnut trees, according to the people living
on the farm. The Magpies spend a great deal of time in the poultry
yard and out among the stock and often alight on the backs of horses,
sheep and cattle. Grain is also a part of their diet. In the winter of
1936-’37 some of their food consisted of the carcass of a calf. The
owner of the farm would be glad to have the birds made use of in some
museum or zoo, as he feels they are not beneficial on his farm and he
does not have as many resident birds as he had before the Magpies
came. — MRS. RAY S, DIX, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

RECENT BIRD BOOKS

57

Correction.— The records for Bell's Viteo in Clayton County in the
last issue of ‘Iowa Bird Life', p. 39, should have been May 19, 1933,
and May S, 1936, instead of June 19, 1933, and June 8 , 1936, as
printed.

White-wing ed Scoter in Pottawattamie County,— On November 30,
1938, a Mr. Brown who lives at Lake Manawa in Pottawattamie County
wave me a large female White-winged Scoter, which he had shot on
Lake Manawa on November 23. I gave the specimen to Taylor Huston
of the State Conservation Commission, and it is to be mounted for
the State collection. DuMont (1933) lists the bird as “An uncommon
migrant along the Mississippi and Missouri River valleys, rare through
the interior of the state." He does not list a record for this county,
—BRUCE F. STILES, Council Bluffs, Iowa.

RECENT BIRD BOOKS

THE BIRD LIFE OF LOUISIANA, by Harry C. Oberholser (Dept,
of Conservation of Louisiana, New Orleans. 1938; paper bindine, pp.
i-xii + 1-834, 8 colored pis. & 37 pis. from photographs; price. $1).

The geographical position of Louisiana and the varied kinds of bird
habitat found in the state are responsible for the great diversity and
abundance of its bird life. There are beaches and islands, coastal
marshes and prairies, semi-tropical bavous and wooded uplands — each
type of country with its distinctive bird-fauna. Louisiana birds have
long attracted attention. As early as 1758 an account of birds in this
territory was published. The illustrious Audubon spent many months
studying birds in Louisiana and did some of his best painting there.

Doctor Oberholser’s personal studies of Louisiana birds have been
extensive. In the preparation of this book he made a very thorough
search of the literature, examined all available bird specimens taken
in the state, investigated various sources of information, and made
use of all reliable data. The completion of his work is this list of 430
species and subspecies for the State of Louisiana. The opening chap-
ters describe bird migration and give a calendar of migration dates
for the state. There is a short chapter urging protection of birds.
Then follows the descriptive list of Louisiana birds, with information
on habitat, held identification marks, nesting and life history, and de-
tailed state records. Those who dream of a stabilised nomenclature
will not be comforted to find that the author has departed from the
A. 0. U. ‘Check-List’ and has given different scientific names for no
less than 70 birds. The continual changing of scientific names by our
bird doctors convinces us that, after all, the vernacular names are the
ones that possess real stability; we may be thankful that they undergo
little change through the years.

Among the "state" bird books th’s latest addition takes a prominent
place. It is a model of thoroughness and accuracy, and is written hr
one of our foremost ornithologists. The low price at which i f is sold
assures a very wide distribution for the book. How we should like to
have a book of similar scope and nrice for our own s f ate! The oeonle
of Louisiana are to be congratulated on their good fortune in this
matter.- — F. J. P.

+ * * * +

IOWA: A GUIDE TO THE H A WKF.YE STATE, compiled by the
Federal Writers’ Project of the WP A for S^te of Fowa (The Viking
Press. New York Citv, 1938; cloth, no. i-xxviii + 1-583, 80 photographs
and drawings and 13 mans; price. $2.50).

With its elaborate system of “tours" covering the highways of the
State, and its detailed information on the hundreds of historic or scenic

58

IOWA BIRD LIFE— VIII, 1033

places worth visiting-, this book seems destined to become the lowans'
most popular “travel book.” While a review of the complete book is
not within our scope, we should like to call attention to the chapters
on Iowa fauna and flora, which are well worth reading. It is gratify-
ing to find that the natural background has been given prominence in
a book of this kind. The public has an awakened interest in nature,
and this book, leading the way to a greater appreciation of things in
our own state, will have a good influence in the cause of nature edu-
cation.

The topographic features of Iowa are first outlined, then follows an
account of the weather and seasonal changes. There is a good de-
scription of the natural resources, in which the game birds and fur-
bearers form an integral part. The Wild Turkey, once common, is
extinct except for a few remaining in state parks. The Bob-white is
3 li’.l a resident, but the Prairie Chicken has decreased until, in 1933,
it was thought that 2,000 would be a fair estimate for the State. The
State's introduction of exotic birds such as Ring-necked Pheasant and
Hungarian Partridge is mentioned, and the book takes the optimistic
view that: “The farmlands, the meadows, and the cultivated areas of
Iowa now are as plentiful with bird life as the grasslands of pioneer
days.” In a handbook embracing so many subjects a complete bird
list was impossible. Representatives of various prominent bird families
are mentioned rather briefly. We note a few slips that ought to be
corrected in future editions of the book: the Bobolink is listed as an
early spring migrant and the Belted Kingfisher and the Hermit Thrush
as late spring migrants: the American Bittern is described as one of
the most conspicuous of prairie birds in early days; the Killdeer lives
in marshy regions, according to the book.

We read that large game animals are rare, but the small fur-bearers
furnish a fair crop annually. Rabbits, squirrels, migratory ducks and
resident game birds entice the hunter, while 131 species of fish are
found in the streams but only 26 are common. A special chapter on
Iowa flora covers the subject very nicely. As with bird life, habitat
determines the flowers to be found in a particular region; various
regions with their respective floral features are described in some de-
tail. A chapter on geology lists the prevailing formations in different
parts of Iowa and gives the history of their composition — interesting
reading to both student and layman. — F. J. P.

* * * * *

Another worth-while publication which comes from the Federal
Writers' Project is *A Guide to McGregor, Iowa', a 24-page booklet
which gives the history of this interesting region and tells what points
should be visited. Several “tours" are outlined. Raymond Kresensky,
one of our members, is Director of the Federal Writers' Project in Iowa.

* * * * *

The State Conservation Commission, Des Moines, has published a
very attractive and useful guide called 'Iowa’s Stat# 1 Parks and Pre-
serves’. It contains 80 pages descriptive of all the State-owned areas
and is illustrated by about 150 lithographs,

MEMBERSHIP NEWS

Clayton County roads lead to the Allert Bird Museum, in the village
of Giard. Without question the best private bird collection in eastern
Iowa, bird students have found much valuable studv material there,
and its genial owner, Oscar P. (“Mike" to all his intimate friends)
Allert, always willing to give expert advice in ornithological problems.
The Dubuque Bird Club visited the museum as a feature of its annual
fall “Hawk Trip,” on October 16. Dubuque has a very active bird
club, and it is already talking about the prospective Iowa Ornitholo-
gists' Union convention in that city in 1940.

MEMBERSHIP NEWS

r>£)

Our President, Judge 0. S, Thomas, writes of his summer vacation
trip: '‘On our summer vacations we always keep a bird list, and each
year add a number of interesting birds. The trip is never a bird trip
exclusively, so we do not try to see all the birds of the locality visited.
The past August we visited in southwestern Colorado, eastern Utah and
northern New Mexico. Some of the birds that we saw were: Magpie,
Rock Wren, Can von Wren, Mountain Bluebird, Lark Bunting, Prairie
Falcon. Raven, Rockv Mountain Jay, Sage Hen. Broad-tailed Humming-
bird. Red-shafted Flicker, Mountain Chickadee, Cassin's Kingbird.
Lewis’s Woodpecker, Clark’s Nutcracker, Cambells Quail, Long-crested
Jay, Shufeldt’s Junco, Audubon's Warbler, Green-tailed Towhee, Black
Phoebe, Black-necked Stilt and Water Ouzel. Along the streams in
the mountains we were constantly on the watch for Water Ouzels. In
Rocky Mountain National Park the rangers told us of a nest under a
waterfall, but we did not have time to make the trip; however, we did
see two of the birds."

Waiter L. Burk, of Vinton, has aided the Iowa Ornithologists’ Union
in a very material way. Becoming interested in having more members
in his vicinity, he sent for a supply of sample copies of 'Iowa Bird
Life’ and went out on a one-man membership campaign. In about two
weeks he sent our Treasurer nearly $35 in memberships, subscriptions
and sales of back numbers of the magazine, Vinton is not a large city
and doubtless there are no more bird lovers in that section than in
other parts of the state, It is a good illustration of what could be
done elsewhere, if we were to get out and actively invite others to
join us.

Our membership is quite well distributed over the entire state, with
not a great concentration in any of the larger cities. Sometime we
should like to publish a map of Iowa showing the location of our

members. Below is a list of all
bees or subscribers. It will be
Iowa is included in this list.
Ames, Iowa, 8
Burlington, Iowa, 5
Cedar Falls. Iowa, 5
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 15
Des Moines, Iowa. 1(>

the cities having five or more mem-
noted that only one city outside of

Dubuque. Iowa, 7
Sioux City, Iowa, 6
Vinton, Iowa, 22
Washington, D. C,, 5
Waterloo, Iowa, 8

Walter Rosen gave an illustrated lecture before the Women’s Club
and Cedar Falls Audubon Society on December 7. Mr. Rosen has been
giving bird lectures over the stale for many years. His illustrative
eouipment formerly consisted of a large series of colored lantern
sbdes of birds and wild flowers made from his photographs. Within
1 he last two years he has become a moving picture photographer,
specializing in colored dims. His series of movies on the nesting of
the Duck Hawk, taken on the cliffs at Lansing, Iowa, represent much
skill and patience. When Mr. Rosen goes into a thing he does it
thoroughly, and we can look for many fine movies to come from his
camera in the future.

Our convention at Spirit Lake next May. in the lakes region of
northwest Iowa, promises to be one of the best in our history, especially
in regard to the variety of bird possibilities on the field trip. In the
next issue of 'Iowa Bird Life’ we hope to have an article on what
birds mav be expected in this region, as well as an illustration or two
showing the landscape features.

Quite a large number of our members are school teachers. Two more
have been added to the list recently. Miss Mary E. Roberts is teaching
in the high school at West Liberty, and Wesley Bartlett at Primghar.
Iowa.

I

GO

IOWA BIRD LIFE — V III, 1938

A WORD FROM THE EDITOR

Beginning with our printed 'Bulletin' in 1929, our organization has
published a quarterly bird journal for ten years and has never missed
an issue. This h somewhat of a record among the state bird serials.
There are many state bird society oublications, some mimeographed
and others printed, issued as quarterlies, semi-annuals or annuals. ‘The
Florida Naturalist', published by the Florida Audubon Society, while
not strictly ornithological, has had one of the longest careers as a
state quarterly. It is in its 18th volume. 'The Migrant’ of the Ten-
nessee Ornithological Society is in ; ts eighth printed year. ‘The Flic-
ker’, organ of the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union, is in its second
printed year. ‘The Oriole’, a Georgia quarterly, is in its third year.
'The Nebraska Bird Review', formerly a quarterly, is now published
semi-annually. The Missouri 'Bluebird' is mimeographed, while Illinois
and Indiana have printed annuals.

The material that we have published has not possessed equal scientific
value, of course, but we have always striven for accuracy. At times,
when there has been a shortage of bird notes, the Editor has written
"filler'’ items; at other times of abundance the condensation of ma-
terial has been necessary, and long articles have been rejected. An
average based on a period of years shows the writings of Iowa bird
students to be lengthv enough to warrant a larger ‘Iowa Bird Life’ if
we could afford it. With our present income and pay-as-we-go policy,
an enlargement of the magazine is impossible. In the past the Editor
has made up the deficiency, in a small measure, by securing advertis-
ing. In a magazine of limited circulation this is a very hard task.

There are at least 500 people in Iowa who have sufficient interest
in birds to become members of our Union. How to reach these people
is a problem. If every member would nut his shoulder to the wheel
and secure at least one new member during the coming year, we could
broaden our influence and publish a larger and better magazine. The
ouestion is not one of survival, but of increasing our usefulness, Wc
should like to see our members get behind a drive for new members.

We are always ready to send sample copies of ‘Iowa Bird Life' to
your bird student friends. Let us hear from you frequently, and send
us your bird notes through the year. The form in which we published
the 1937 Christmas census was so well received that we plan to mint
thf* 1938 census in tabulated form. Send your census to the Editor,
— F. J. P.

NOTICE TO MEMBERS

Membership dues are pavable January 1st. Send your dollar to Miss
LaMar (at 1231 39th St., Des Moines) at once. Each year those who
send their dues promptly save the Secretary much valuable time in
sending out notices, as well as postage. We shall very much appre-
ciate your co-opcration in this matter.

THE OOLOGIST

is the only publication on the j
American Continent devoted
to those who are interested !
1 in collecting, preserving, and j
j studying birds' eggs. Fifty :
: cents per year.

THE OOLOGIST

\ LACON, ILLINOIS

Iowa Orn. Union’s

“FIELD CHECK-LIST” |

1 Convenient pocket size, list- [
ing all Iowa birds, tine for j
the field trip. j

j Prices: 500. $2.15; 100, 50c; !
J 50 or less, tie each, postpaid.

Order from

j MISS KATE LA MAR, Sec'y *
■ 1231 39th St.

Des Moines, Iowa
+ +