The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-06-15
LARGE NUMBER Of
BIRD SPECIES ARE
OBSERVED IN STATE
Wide Distribution of Feathered
Folk Is Shown by Sectional
Reports, Says Expert
BY o. A. STEVENS
North Dakota Agricultural College

This is the seventh year in which
we have closed this series OF articles
with q report Of the number of birds
seen In a one-day field trip. This
has been planned for about June l, to
include only summer resident species,
but an occasional migrant IS found
at that date. The one day limit is
somewhat unsatisfactory because one
always fails to see q few which are
to be expected. This IS partly bal
anced by the unexpected ones found.
The composition of the lists varies
somewhat but the number of species
seen Is quite constant. A keen OBJ
server In q good locality where water
birds can be found Is able to list be-
tween so and 70 species. Without the
water birds 1t is difficult to reach so
and II only about three hours time is
available, about 80 species are re-
corded.
Seven lists are at hand for this
year. Glenn Berner at Jamestown
found Sc species and by continuing a
second day increased the list to 80.
Miss Perna M. Slime at Minot found
IS. She has sent a second list of 40
from Lake Metigoshe. In the Turtle
mountains near Bottineau. and this
contains 10 which were not in the
Minot list. Gordon .Heggeness and
the writer at Fargo listed As and
Henry Killingstad at Valley City
found the same number. Edgar
Preston at Tower City and J. H.. Nc
Clelland at Arnegard on the three
hour period saw 80 and 26 respec-
lively.
On the whole the lists present a
fairly good picture Of North Dakota
bird life at this season. The species
which appear on all seven of the lists
are: killdeer, mourning dove, king
bird, m~eadowlark, .cowbird, bronzed
grackle, re~d-winged blackbird, vesper
sparrow, yellow warbler and robin
Most Of the birds found on five and
six Of the lists are as common or
nearly 80, but for some reason were
not een by all the people. On six
are flicker, nighthawk, Arkansas
kingbird, woodpewee, least flycatcher,
oriole, savanna sparrow,
barn swallow. yellow throat. catbird,
brown thrasher, house wren. Five
contain: black tern, crow, horned
lark, goldfinch, clay-colored sparrow,
red-eyed vireo, warbling vireo. Most
of the species appearing In three and
TOUR lists are more localized in their
On four lists are: coot,
sandpiper, sharptailed grouse,
marsh hawk, bluejay, bobolink, lark
bunting, bank swallow, redstart. On
;hree lists: scaup, baldpate, and NAL
ard ducks, sparrow hawk, kingfisher,
chimney swift. brewer and yellow
blackbirds, rose-breasted gros-
oeak, ovenbird, chickadee. willow
A total Of lot species was seen. The
grebe which Is q rather un-
common bird, was seen at James
own. The yellow-bellied sapsucker Is
included in the Turtle mountain list.
rhe indigo bunting, seen at Fargo, /:
Is found there in a certain ,
mall area. The woodpewee seemed ,
unusually common though the phoe- !
'e was noted only at Minot. No blue ,
'irds. red-headed woodpeckers or :
'rairie hens were found, the latter :
'robably because Of the difficulty Of +;
them at this time of the >
ear. Mr.. Preston reports lark bunt- 9
ngs unusually common. The mag s
lie and arctic towhee, two other {
birds, were not found. !