Viewing page 69 of 138

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

-18-

aspen near the summit of the pass. On July 3 another nest was found in a dead aspen somewhat lower down. A large opening below this nest looked as though it might contain an owl or something else of interest. When I hammered on the trunk with a stick the adult sapsuckers were much excited and came flying down to perch near me, with crests raised, calling excitedly.

23. Sphyrapicus thyroideus (Cassin).

Williamson's Sapsucker.

This Woodpecker was fairly common in the forested area on the mesa forming the summit of the Chusca Mountains. A female was observed feeding young out of the nest on June 30 and a pair had well-grown young in a hole drilled in a living aspen at camp near Be-e-khet-hum-nez on July 2. Both male and female worked steadily carrying food to these all day long, ceasing only during showers of rain that fell at intervals. A second nest containing young nearly fledged was found in a dead aspen in Cottonwood Pass at an altitude of 7800 feet on July 3.

Adult birds were seen daily. The males had a loud rattling note like heh-h-h-h that gave much the same effect as a stick drawn rapidly across a hard corrugated surface. The drumming of this woodpecker resembles that of Sphyrapicus various; it begins with a short roll which is followed by a double tap and then a single one and may be represented as [[underline]] tr-r-r-r-r- tap-tap-tap. [[/underline]]

24. [[underline]] Balanosphyra formicivora aculeata [[/underline]] (Mearns)

Arizona Anr-eating Woodpecker.

There were seen on a fence near a Navajo hogan above Crystal on July 3. Oaka are abundant here and the region is well suited to these birds.