Fig 3.—Histograms representing breeding schedulesFig. 3.—Histograms representing breeding schedules of two herons, the Red-tailed Hawk, Bobwhite, and two shore birds in Kansas. See legend to Figure 1 for explanation of histograms.Black Vulture:Coragyps atratus(Meyer).—This is possibly a summer resident in the southeastern sector of Kansas. There is one nesting record, for Labette County (Goss, 1891:245).Breeding schedule.—There are no data for this species in Kansas.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 2 eggs (Davie, 1898).Nests are placed in hollows (logs, stumps,etc.) on the ground surface.Swallow-tailed Kite:Elanoides forficatus forficatus(Linnaeus).—This kite was formerly a summer resident in eastern Kansas; it no longer occurs as a breeding species.Breeding schedule.—In Kansas the season seemed to occur relatively late in the year for a raptor; eggs were laid in May, so far as is known.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 2 eggs (Davie, 1898).Nests are placed in tops of trees.Mississippi Kite:Ictinia misisippiensis(Wilson).—This is a common summer resident in southern Kansas, west to Morton County. Specimens taken in the breeding season and records of nesting come from south of stations in Grant, Barton, Harvey, and Douglas counties; the present center of abundance is in Meade, Clark, Comanche, Barber, and Harper counties.Breeding schedule.—Seven records of breeding span the period April 20 to June 10; the peak of egg-laying seems to be in the first week of May.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 2 eggs.Nests are placed about 35 feet high (from 25 to 50 feet) in cottonwood, willow, elm, black locust, and the like.Sharp-shinned Hawk:Accipiter striatus velox(Wilson).—This rare summer resident apparently occurs only in the eastern part. The two nesting records are from Cloud and Pottawatomie counties.Breeding schedule.—The information at hand suggests the birds lay in April and May.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 4 eggs (Davie, 1898).Nests are placed 20 or more feet high in coniferous or deciduous trees.Cooper Hawk:Accipiter cooperii(Bonaparte).—This is an uncommon resident. Specimens taken in the breeding season and actual records of nesting come from east of stations in Cloud, Anderson, and Montgomery counties.Breeding schedule.—Fourteen records of breeding span the period March 21 to May 30; the modal date of egg-laying is April 25.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 4 eggs (3.8, 2-5; 5).Nests are placed from 15 to 30 feet high, averaging 25 feet in elm, oak, and other trees.Red-tailed Hawk:Buteo jamaicensis borealis(Gmelin).—This is a common resident east of the 100th meridian; to the west numbers are reduced, although the species is by no means unusual in western Kansas. Red-tails probably always were uncommon in western Kansas; Wolfe (1961) reports that they were "very rare as a nesting species"in Decatur County shortly after the turn of the 20th Century.Breeding schedule.—Thirty-six records of breeding span the period February 21 to April 10 (Fig. 3); the modal date of egg-laying is March 5.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 3 eggs (2.6, 2-3; 20).Nests are placed about 40 feet high, ranging from 15 to 70 feet in cottonwood, honey locust, osage orange, sycamore, and walnut.Red-shouldered Hawk:Buteo lineatus lineatus(Gmelin).—This is an uncommon summer resident in eastern Kansas, in riparian and bottomland timber. Nesting records are available from Leavenworth, Woodson, and Linn counties, and red-shoulders probably also nest in Doniphan County (Linsdale, 1928).Breeding season.—Eggs are laid in March and April.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 3 eggs (Davie, 1898).Nests are placed up to 70 feet high in elms and other streamside trees.Table 11.—Occurrence in Time of the Summer Resident Vulture and Hawks in KansasSpeciesArrivalDepartureRangeMedianRangeMedianTurkey VultureMar. 7-Mar. 30Mar. 15Sept. 24-Oct. 28Oct. 5Red-shouldered HawkFeb. 10-Mar. 14Feb. 26Oct.-Dec.........Broad-winged HawkApr. 4-Apr. 21Apr. 12Sept. 1-Oct. 20........Swainson HawkMar. 24-Apr. 28Apr. 12Oct. 5-Nov. 2Oct. 11Broad-winged Hawk:Buteo platypterus platypterus(Vieillot).—This is an uncommon summer resident in eastern Kansas, in swampy woodland. Specimens taken in the breeding season and nesting records are from Shawnee, Douglas, Leavenworth, and Johnson counties; there are several nesting records from Missouri in the bottomlands just across the river from Wyandotte County Kansas. Occurrence in time is listed inTable 11.Breeding schedule.—Four records of nesting span the period April 21 to May 30, but it is likely that the egg-season is longer than this.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 3 eggs.Nests are placed high in deciduous trees.Swainson Hawk:Buteo swainsoniBonaparte.—This is a common summer resident in prairie grassland with open groves and scattered trees. Records of breeding are available from all parts of the State, but are least numerous from the southeastern quarter. Occurrence in time is listed inTable 11.Breeding schedule.—Sixteen records of breeding span the period April 11 to June 10; the modal date for completion of clutches is April 25.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 2 eggs (2.4, 2-3; 5).Nests are placed about 35 feet high, actually ranging from 12 to 75 feet, in cottonwood, elm, willow, and honey locust. Occasionally nestsare placed on ledges in cliffs.Ferruginous Hawk:Buteo regalis(Gray).—This is an uncommon resident in western Kansas, in grassland with scattered trees. Records of nesting and specimens taken in the breeding season come from Wallace, Hamilton, Gove, Logan, and Finney counties.Breeding schedule.—Five records of breeding span the period March 11 to April 30.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 3 eggs (3.3, 3-4; 4).Nests are placed on the ground surface on small cliffs or promontories or low (six to 10 feet) in small trees such as osage orange, cottonwood, and mulberry.Marsh Hawk:Circus cyaneus hudsonius(Linnaeus).—This is a local resident in grassland throughout Kansas. Most records of breeding come from east of the Flint Hills, but it is not certain that the few records from the west actually reflect a low density of Marsh Hawks in that area.Breeding schedule.—Sixteen records of breeding span the period April 11 to May 20; the modal date for egg-laying is May 5.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 5 eggs (5.2, 3-7; 14).Nests are placed on the ground surface in grassy cover.Peregrine Falcon:Falco peregrinus anatumBonaparte.—This falcon nested, perhaps regularly but clearly in small numbers, in Kansas prior to the 20th Century. The best documented breeding occurrence was at Neosho Falls, Woodson County (Goss, 1891:283).Breeding schedule.—Eggs were recorded as being laid in February and March.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 3 or 4 eggs (Davie, 1898).Nests are placed relatively high on cliffs and in trees; at Neosho Falls these birds used open cavities 50 to 60 feet high in sycamores.Sparrow Hawk:Falco sparverius sparveriusLinnaeus.—This is a common resident throughout Kansas, in parkland and woodland edge.Breeding schedule.—Thirteen records of egg-laying span the period March 21 to May 20; the modal date of laying is not evident in this sample but it probably falls around April 10.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 4 eggs (4.2, 3-5; 5).Nests are placed in cavities about 16 feet high, actually 12 to 30 feet, in cottonwood, ash, maple, Purple Martin "houses," and human dwellings.Greater Prairie Chicken:Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus(Brewster).—This is a locally common resident in eastern Kansas, in and about bluestem prairie grassland, and is local in the northwest in undisturbed plains grassland. Wolfe (1961) reports that the species was common in Decatur County shortly after the turn of the Century, but that it became rare by 1914.Breeding schedule.—Twenty-one records of breeding span the period May 1 to June 10 (Fig. 3); the modal date for laying is May 5. The sample indicates an abrupt inception to laying of eggs, and this may be a reflection of timing characteristic of behavior at leks, or booming grounds.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 12 eggs (11.7, 9-15; 17).Nests are placed on the surface of the ground in bluestem grassland orplains bunchgrass, usually under cover of prairie grasses and forbs.Lesser Prairie Chicken:Tympanuchus pallidicinctus(Ridgway).—This is a local resident in sandy grassland in southwestern Kansas. Distribution is to the west and south of Pawnee County.Breeding schedule.—There is no information on timing of the breeding season in Kansas.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is thought to be near that of the Greater Prairie Chicken. Vic Housholder (MS) observed a hen with ten chicks ten miles south of Dodge City, Ford County, on June 1, 1955.Bobwhite:Colinus virginianus(Linnaeus).—This is a common resident in the east, but is local in western Kansas; occurrence is in broken woodland and other edge habitats.C. v. virginianus(Linnaeus) is found northeast of stations in Nemaha, Douglas, and Miami counties, andC. v. tayloriLincoln is found in the remainder of the State.Breeding schedule.—Twenty-four records of breeding span the period May 1 to September 20 (Fig. 3); the modal date for first clutches is May 25. The long period of egg-laying after May probably includes both renesting efforts and true second nestings.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 13 eggs (12.8, 8-21; 22); in the present sample 16 eggs was the most frequent number.Nests are placed on the surface of the ground at bases of bunch grasses, saplings, trees, or posts, under cover of prairie grasses, forbs, or small woody plants.Scaled Quail:Callipepla squamata pallidaBrewster.—This is a locally common resident in southwestern Kansas, chiefly west of Clark County and south of the Arkansas River; preferred habitat seems to be in open, sandy prairie.Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid at least in May; the egg-season in Kansas is unlikely to be so prolonged as that of the Bobwhite; among other factors involved, the Scaled Quail in Kansas is at a northern extreme of its distribution, where suboptimal environmental conditions may occur relatively frequently.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is around 10 to 12 eggs.Nests are placed on the ground surface under woody or herbaceous cover.Ring-necked Pheasant:Phasianus colchicusLinnaeus.—This introduced resident is common in western Kansas, is local and uncommon in the east, and is found in agricultural land with scattered woody vegetation.Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid at least in May.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 10 to 12 eggs.Nests are placed on the surface of the ground in woody or herbaceous cover.Wild Turkey:Meleagris gallopavoLinnaeus.—Turkeys formerly occurred as common residents in flood-plain woodland in eastern Kansas, and their distribution extended through the west in riparian woodland. Present population in eastern and southern sectors are partly the result of introductions of birds from Missouri by humans in the 1950s. Turkeys in southern Kansas are also present owing to natural dispersal along the Arkansas and Medicine Lodge rivers of birds native to and introduced into Oklahoma. No specimens of turkeys presently found inKansas are available for examination but these birds probably are referable toM. g. silvestrisVieillot, the trinomen applied to turkeys in Missouri and northeastern Oklahoma.Turkeys from southern Texas recently have been liberated at several localities in southern Nebraska; turkeys seen in extreme northern Kansas are thus probably of these stocks. The nameM. g. intermediaSennett is applicable to these birds.Breeding schedule.—No information is available on the egg-season in Kansas; turkeys have nested in southern Kansas within recent years, however.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is perhaps 12 eggs.Nests are placed on the surface of the ground, usually well-concealed under woody vegetation.King Rail:Rallus elegans elegansAudubon.—This summer resident is locally common in marshlands. Nesting records or adults taken in the breeding season are from Cheyenne, Meade, Pratt, Stafford, Cloud, Riley, Douglas, Anderson, and Allen counties. Dates of arrival in spring are recorded from April 7 to April 28; the median date is April 18. Departure in autumn is possibly as early as September in the north, but four records are in the period October 12 to November 25. The species occasionally can be found in winter (Douglas County, December 28, 1915).Breeding schedule.—Fourteen records of breeding span the period May 1 to July 20; the modal date for egg-laying is June 5.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 10 eggs (9 to 12; 4 records).Nests are placed on the surface of the ground, under grassy or woody cover.Virginia Rail:Rallus limicola limicolaVieillot.—This is an uncommon summer resident, presumably throughout the State. The one breeding record is from Morton County (May 24, 1950; Graber and Graber, 1951). Dates of spring arrival are from April 19 to May 18; dates of last observation in autumn are within the period September 1 to October 30. A few birds overwinter in the southern part of the State (Meade County, December and January).Breeding season.—Eggs are laid probably in May and June.Number of eggs.—Six to 12 eggs are laid (Davie, 1898).Nests are placed in emergent aquatic plants, near the surface of the water.Sora:Porzana carolina(Linnaeus).—This is an uncommon summer resident in marshland. Nesting records or specimens taken in the breeding season come from Finney, Barton, Jefferson, Douglas, and Miami counties. First dates of observation in spring are from April 11 to May 9 (the median is May 1); dates when last observed in autumn are from September 30 to November 9 (the median is October 18).Breeding schedule.—The one dated record comes from August.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is around 10 eggs (Davie, 1898).Nests are on the ground in grassy or herbaceous cover.Black Rail:Laterallus jamaicensis jamaicensis(Gmelin).—This is an uncommon summer resident in Kansas. Records of breeding and specimens taken in the breeding season come from Finney, Meade, Riley, and Franklin counties. Seasonal occurrence is within the period March 18 to September 26.Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid at least in June.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 8 eggs (6-10; 4). Nests are on the ground under cover of marsh plants.Common Gallinule:Gallinula chloropus cachinnansBangs.—This is a local summer resident in marshlands. Nesting records and specimens taken in the breeding season come from Barton, Stafford, Shawnee, Douglas, and Coffey counties. Occurrence in the State is from April through September.Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid in May and June.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 10 eggs.Nests are in marsh grasses and other emergent vegetation, not necessarily over water.American Coot:Fulica americana americanaGmelin.—This is an uncommon, local summer resident in wetlands in Kansas. Coots are at greatest abundance in autumnal and spring migratory movements, but are present all year. Nesting has been recorded from Barton, Stafford, Doniphan, and Douglas counties.Breeding schedule.—Thirty-eight records of breeding span the period May 11 to June 30; the mode to laying is May 25. Earlier breeding probably occurs in the State.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 8 eggs (7.7, 5-12; 28).Nests are made of marsh vegetation (arrowhead, cattail) and float on water.Snowy Plover:Charadrius alexandrinus tenuirostris(Lawrence).—This summer resident is fairly common on the saline flats of central and south-central Kansas. Breeding records are from Barton, Stafford, Meade, Clark, and Comanche counties.Breeding schedule.—Fifteen records show that eggs are laid in the period May 25 to June 20; the peak of laying seems to be around June 10.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 3 eggs.Eggs are deposited on bare sand.Killdeer:Charadrius vociferus vociferusLinnaeus.—This summer resident is common throughout the State, in open country frequently near wetlands. A few individuals overwinter in Kansas, especially in the southern counties.Breeding schedule.—The 29 records of breeding span the period March 21 to June 30; the modal date of laying is May 20. The distribution of completed clutches (Fig. 3) suggests that Killdeers are here double-brooded.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 4 eggs.Eggs are laid on the surface of the ground, frequently on gravel, field stubble, plowed earth, and pasture.Mountain Plover:Eupoda montana(Townsend).—This is an uncommon and local summer resident in western short-grass prairie. Breeding records come from Greeley and Decatur counties.Breeding schedule.—Wolfe (1961) wrote that the species in Decatur County laid eggs in the "last of May" in the early 1900s. The only other dated breeding record is of downy young (KU 5512, 5513) taken on June 21.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is usually 3 eggs.Eggs are laid in slight depressions in the ground, "lined with a few grass stems," according to Wolfe (1961).American Woodcock:Philohela minor(Gmelin).—This is a rare summer resident in wet woodlands in eastern Kansas. Arrival in the northeast is from mid-March through April, with departures southward occurring from September to December; the last date on which the species has been seen in any year is December 5. There are nesting records only from Woodson County; probably the species nests in Douglas County (Fitch, 1958:194).Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid in April.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is usually 4 eggs.Nests are depressions in the dry ground within swampy places, usually under heavy plant cover.Long-billed Curlew:Numenius americanus americanusBechstein.—This is an uncommon summer resident in western Kansas, in prairie grassland. Breeding records are from Stanton and Morton counties.Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid at least in May and June.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 4 eggs.Eggs are laid in slight depressions in the ground in grassy cover.Upland Plover:Bartramia longicauda(Bechstein).—This is a locally common summer resident, most conspicuously in the Flint Hills, in grassland. Breeding records are from Trego, Hamilton, Finney, Morton, Meade, Marion, Chase, Kearny, Butler, Cowley, Douglas, Johnson, Wabaunsee, Franklin, Anderson, and Coffey counties. Dates of first arrival in spring span the period April 2 to May 5 (the median is April 19), and dates last seen in autumn are from September 3 to October 6 (the median is September 13).Breeding schedule.—Sixteen records of breeding span the period April 21 to June 10; the modal date for egg-laying is May 5.Number of eggs.—Usually 4 eggs are laid.Eggs are placed on vegetation on the ground surface, in pasture, field stubble, or gravel, frequently under heavy plant cover.Spotted Sandpiper:Actitis macularia(Linnaeus).—This summer resident is locally common on wet ground and along streams. Dates of arrival in spring are from March 29 to April 30 (the median is April 24), and dates of last observation in autumn span the period September 2 to October 10 (the median is September 18).Breeding schedule.—Egg records are all from the northeastern sector, and all are for May.Number of eggs.—Usually 4 eggs are laid.Nests are of plant fibers in depressions in dry ground on gravel banks, pond or stream borders, or in pastureland.American Avocet:Recurvirostra americanaGmelin.—This is a local summer resident in marshes in central and western Kansas. There are breeding records from Finney, Barton, and Stafford counties. Extreme dates within which avocets have been recorded are April 2 to November 21.Breeding schedule.—Forty-one records of breeding span the period May 11 to June 20 (26 records shown inFig. 3); the modal date for laying is June 5.Number of eggs.—Usually 4 eggs are laid.Nests are placed on the surface of the ground, near water.Wilson Phalarope:Steganopus tricolorVieillot.—This is a local summer resident in marshes in central and western Kansas, but breedingrecords are available only from Barton County. The earliest date of occurrence is April 7 and the latest is October 14.Breeding schedule.—Ten records indicate eggs are laid in May and June.Number of eggs.—Three or 4 eggs are laid.Nests are of plant stems in slight depressions in the ground.Forster Tern:Sterna forsteriNuttall.—This is a local summer resident in central Kansas, in marshes. There are breeding records only from Cheyenne Bottoms, Barton County (Zuvanich, 1963:1). First dates of arrival in spring span the period April 9 to 29 (the median is April 22), and apparent departure south in autumn occurs from August 1 to November 1 (the median is September 3).Breeding schedule.—Twenty-three records of nesting are from late May to mid-June; all records are for the year 1962.Number of eggs.—Usually 4 eggs are laid.Nests are frequently floating platforms of vegetation (algae, cattail, and the like) in shallow water; old nests of Pied-billed Grebes are sometimes used as bases, and occasionally the birds nest on the ground.Least Tern:Sterna albifrons athalassosBurleigh and Lowery.—This tern is a local summer resident in marshes and along streams in central and western Kansas. There are breeding records from Hamilton, Meade, and Stafford counties. First dates of arrival in spring are from May 14 to 30 (the median is May 28), and last dates of occurrence in autumn are from August 9 to September 7 (the median is August 25).Breeding schedule.—Twenty-one records of egg-laying are from May 21 to June 30 (Fig. 4); the modal date for laying is June 5.Number of eggs.—Two, 3 or 4 eggs are laid.Eggs are laid on the bare ground, usually a sandy surface, near water.Black Tern:Chlidonias niger surinamensis(Gmelin).—This is a local summer resident in marshlands in central Kansas. There are breeding records only from Barton County for 1961 and 1962; possibly the species breeds in Douglas County. First dates of arrival in spring are from May 3 to 29 (the median is May 14), and last dates of occurrence in autumn are from September 2 to 30 (the median is September 11).Breeding schedule.—Twenty-four sets of eggs (Parmelee, 1961:25; M. Schwilling) were complete between June 11 and July 12.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 3 eggs.Nests are of dead plant matter placed on floating parts of emergent green plants in shallow water.Rock Dove:Columba liviaGmelin.—This species was introduced into North America by man from European stocks of semi-domesticated ancestry. "Pigeons" now are feral around towns and farms, and cliffsides in the west, and are locally common permanent residents throughout the State.Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid in every month of the year. The main season of breeding is spring, and this is depicted in Figure 4; the 26 records of breeding by feral birds are from January 11 to June 10, and the modal date of laying is probably April 5.Number of eggs.—Pigeons usually lay 2 eggs. Nests are of sticks and other plant matter placed on ledges and recesses of buildings, bridges, and cliffs, 10 to 60 feet high.Fig 4.—Histograms representing breeding schedulesFig.4.—Histograms representing breeding schedules of the Least Tern, two doves, the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and two owls in Kansas. See legend to Figure 1 for explanation of histograms.Mourning Dove:Zenaidura macroura marginella(Woodhouse).—This is a common summer resident throughout the State, in open country and woodland edge. The species is also present in winter in much reduced numbers, and many are transient in periods of migration. The time of greatest abundance is from March to November. Doves of extreme eastern Kansas have by some workers been referred to the subspeciesZ. m. carolinensis(Linnaeus);specimens at the Museum of Natural History indicate that these doves are best regarded as members of populations of intermediate subspecific, or morphologic, affinities, and that they are satisfactorily included withinZ. m. marginella.Breeding schedule.—Numerous (983) records of egg-laying from north-central Kansas are from April 1 to September 10; the modal date for laying is May 15. Forty-three records of breeding from northeastern Kansas span the period March 21 to August 10; the modal date of laying is May 15. These samples are depicted in Figure 4.Both sets of data are shown here to illustrate some of the differences between large and small samples of heterogeneous data. The small sample tends to be incomplete both early and late in the season, and the mode tends to be conspicuous. Yet, the modes for the two samples coincide. Also, the data from the north-central sector indicate that egg-laying in March would be found less than once in 983 records, but the small sample from the northeast includes one record for March. Such an instance doubtless reflects, at least in part, the fact that the two geographic sectors have different environmental conditions, but it is likely that the instance also partly reflects the unpredictable nature of sampling.Number of eggs.—Doves lay two eggs. About one per cent of all nests have 3 eggs, but it is not known for any of these whether one or two females were responsible.Nests are placed in a wide variety of plants, or on the ground. The commonest plants are those used most frequently; in north-central Kansas one-third of all nests are placed in osage orange trees, but in the northeast elms are most frequently used. Nestsites are from zero to 15 feet high.Yellow-billed Cuckoo:Coccyzus americanus americanus(Linnaeus).—This is a common summer resident in riparian and second-growth habitats throughout the State. Twenty-three dates of first arrival in spring fall between April 29 and May 22 (the median is May 12), and nine dates of last observation in autumn run from September 13 to October 12 (the median is September 23).Breeding schedule.—Sixty-nine records of egg-laying span the period May 11 to September 10 (Fig. 4); the modal date of laying is June 5.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 3 eggs (3.1, 2-5; 54).Nests are placed about six feet high (from four to 20 feet) in sumac, rose, pawpaw, mulberry, elm, cottonwood, willow, redbud, oak, osage orange, walnut, boxelder, usually on horizontal surfaces, and in heavy cover.Black-billed Cuckoo:Coccyzus erythropthalmus(Wilson).—This is an uncommon summer resident, occurring in heavy riparian shrubbery and second-growth. Breeding records are chiefly from eastern Kansas, but specimens have been taken in the breeding season in all parts of the State. Eleven dates of first arrival in spring are from May 7 to May 30 (the median is May 19), and four dates of last observed occurrence in autumn are between September 4 and October 7 (the average is September 18).Breeding schedule.—Seventeen records of egg-laying are between May 21 and August 10; the mode is at June 5.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 2 to 3 eggs (2.5, 2-3; 13).Nests are placed about four feet high in heavy cover in plum, elm, locust,and the like.Roadrunner:Geococcyx californianus(Lesson).—This is a local resident in southern Kansas in xeric scrub or open edge habitats. Breeding records are from Cowley and Sumner counties.Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid at least from early April to mid-July.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 5 eggs (4.5, 3-6; 4).Nests are placed on the ground under plant cover, or occasionally low in bushes.Barn Owl:Tyto alba pratincolaBonaparte.—This resident has a low density throughout Kansas in open woodland and near agricultural enterprises of man.Breeding schedule.—The few records available indicate egg-laying occurs at least from April to July; elsewhere the species is known to have a more protracted breeding schedule.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 5 eggs (4.7, 2-6; 4).Nests are informal aggregations of sticks and litter placed in recesses in stumps, hollow trees, rocky and earthen banks, and dwellings and outbuildings of man.Screech Owl:Otus asio(Linnaeus).—This is a common resident in woodland habitats throughout Kansas.O. a. aikeni(Brewster) occurs west of Rawlins, Gove, and Comanche counties, andO. a. naevius(Gmelin) occurs in the remainder of the State except for the eastern south-central sector, occupied byO. a. hasbrouckiRidgway.Breeding schedule.—Fifteen records of egg-laying span the period March 20 to May 10; there is a strong mode at April 5.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 4 eggs (4.0, 3-6; 12).Nests are placed in holes and recesses in trees, three to 20 feet high.Great Horned Owl:Bubo virginianus(Gmelin).—This is a common resident throughout Kansas, especially near woodlands and cliffsides.B. v. virginianus(Gmelin) occurs east of a line through Rawlins and Meade counties andB. v. occidentalisStone occurs to the west.Breeding schedule.—Fifty-seven records of egg-laying span the period January 11 to March 20 (Fig. 4); the modal date for laying is near February 10.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 2 eggs (2.4, 2-3; 22).Nests are placed about 30 feet high in cottonwood, elm, osage orange, hackberry, juniper, locust, cliffsides, and buildings of man. Old nests of hawks, crows, and herons are frequently appropriated.Burrowing Owl:Speotyto cunicularia hypugaea(Bonaparte).—This is an uncommon summer resident in western Kansas in grassland and open scrub habitats. Stations of breeding all come from west of a line running through Cloud and Barber counties. Arrival in spring is between March 22 and April 17 (the median for 7 records is April 9), and dates last seen in autumn span the period September 8 to November 14 (the median for 9 records is September 26).Breeding schedule.—Twenty-one records of egg-laying run from April 11 to July 10 (Fig. 4); the mode of laying is May 15.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 7 or 8 eggs.Nests are informal aggregations of plant and animal fibers in chambers ofearthen burrows usually made by badgers or prairie dogs.Barred Owl:Strix varia variaBarton.—This is a local resident in eastern Kansas, in heavy woodland. The species is said by implication (A. O. U. Check-list, 1957) to occur in western Kansas, but no good breeding records are available, all such records coming from and east of Morris County. Specimens from southeastern Kansas show morphologic intergradation with characters ofS. v. georgicaLatham.Breeding schedule.—Three records of egg-laying are for the first half of March.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size in our sample is 2 eggs.Nests are situated in cavities in trees or in old hawk or crow nests.Long-eared Owl:Asio otus wilsonianus(Lesson).—This owl is a local resident or summer resident in woodland with heavy cover throughout the State. Breeding records are available from Trego, Meade, Cloud, and Douglas counties.Breeding schedule.—Four records of egg-laying are for the period March 11 to April 10.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 5 or 6 eggs.Nests are placed in hollows of trees, stumps, cliffsides, on the ground surface, or in old hawk, crow, or magpie nests (Davie, 1898).Short-eared Owl:Asio flammeus flammeus(Pontoppidan).—This is a local resident or summer resident in open, marshy, and edge habitats; records of nesting come from Republic, Marshall, Woodson, and Bourbon counties.Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid at least in April.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 6 eggs (Davie, 1898).Nests are simple structures of sticks and grasses, placed on the ground in grasses, frequently near cover of downed timber or bushes.Saw-whet Owl:Aegolius acadicus acadicus(Gmelin).—This is a rare and local resident, in woodland. There is one breeding record (summer, 1951, Wyandotte County; Tordoff, 1956:331).Chuck-will's-widow:Caprimulgus carolinensisGmelin.—This is a locally common summer resident in woodland habitats in eastern Kansas. Stations of occurrence of actual breeding fall south of Wyandotte County and east of Shawnee, Greenwood, Stafford, and Sedgwick counties.Breeding schedule.—Five records of breeding come between April 21 and May 31, with a peak perhaps in the first third of May.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 2 eggs.Eggs are laid on heavy leaf-litter, usually under shrubby cover.Whip-poor-will:Caprimulgus vociferus vociferusWilson.—This is a local summer resident in woodland in eastern Kansas. Breeding records are available only from Doniphan, Leavenworth, and Douglas counties; there are sight records in summer from Shawnee County.Breeding schedule.—Two records of breeding cover the period May 21 to June 20.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 2 eggs.Eggs are laid on heavy leaf-litter in shrubby cover.Poor-will:Phalaenoptilus nuttallii nuttallii(Audubon).—This is a commonsummer resident in western Kansas, in xeric, scrubby woodland. Breeding records are chiefly from west of Riley County, but there is one from Franklin County; specimens taken in the breeding season are available from Doniphan, Douglas, Anderson, Woodson, and Greenwood counties.Breeding schedule.—Six records of egg-laying are from the period May 1 to June 20.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 2 eggs.Eggs are laid on the ground, with or without plant cover.Table 12.—Occurrence in Time of Summer Resident Caprimulgids and Apodids in KansasSpeciesArrivalDepartureRangeMedianRangeMedianChuck-will's-widowApr. 20-May 1Apr. 28Oct.-Dec.Oct. ?Whip-poor-willApr. 6-Apr. 25Apr. 17Sept. 10-Oct. 11Sept. 21Poor-willApr. 12........Sept. 20........Common NighthawkApr. 29-May 23May 15Sept. 13-Oct. 18Sept. 23Chimney SwiftApr. 2-Apr. 30Apr. 22Sept. 18-Oct. 30Oct. 4Ruby-throated HummingbirdApr. 2-May 19May 6Sept. 3-Oct. 15Sept. 10Common Nighthawk:Chordeiles minor(Forster).—This is a common summer resident throughout Kansas. Temporal occurrence is indicated inTable 11. Three subspecies reach their distributional limits in the State,C. m. minor(Forster) in northeastern Kansas,C. m. chapmaniCoues in southeastern Kansas, andC. m. howelliOberholser west of the Flint Hills.Breeding schedule.—Twenty-two records of breeding span the period May 11 to June 30; the modal date for egg-laying is June 10 (Fig. 5).Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 2 eggs.Eggs are laid on the ground in rocky or gravelly areas, on unpaved roads, or on flat, gravelled tops of buildings of man.Chimney Swift:Chaetura pelagica(Linnaeus).—This is a common summer resident in eastern Kansas, around towns. Temporal occurrence in the State is indicated inTable 12.Breeding schedule.—Thirty-six records of breeding span the period May 11 to June 30; the modal date for egg-laying is May 25 (Fig. 5).Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 4 eggs.Nests are secured by means of a salivary cement to vertical surfaces, usually near the inside tops of chimneys in dwellings of man, but occasionally in abandoned buildings and hollow trees.Ruby-throated Hummingbird:Archilochus colubris(Linnaeus).—This is an uncommon summer resident in eastern Kansas, and is rare in the west, in towns and along riparian vegetation. Temporal occurrence in the State is listed inTable 12.Breeding schedule.—Eight records of breeding fall within the period May 21 to July 10; there seems to be a peak to laying in the lastthird of June.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 2 eggs.Most nests are on outer branches of shrubs and trees, in forks or on pendant branches, 10 to 20 feet high.Belted Kingfisher:Megaceryle alcyon alcyon(Linnaeus).—This summer resident is common throughout the State in streamside and lakeside habitats. Timing of arrival and departure of the breeding birds is not well-documented owing to the fact that the species is also transient and a winter resident in the State.Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid at least from April 21 to May 20.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is near 6 eggs.Eggs are laid on the floor of the chamber at the inner end of a horizontal tunnel excavated in an earthen bank. The tunnel is two to six feet long and many tunnels are strewn with bones and other dietary refuse.Yellow-shafted Flicker:Colaptes auratus(Linnaeus).—This is a common resident and summer resident in eastern Kansas, meeting, hybridizing with, and partly replaced byColaptes caferwestward, in open woodlands.C. a. auratus(Linnaeus) occurs in southeastern Kansas, andC. a. luteusBangs occurs in the remainder, intergrading west of the Flint Hills withC. cafer.Breeding season.—Forty-eight records of breeding span the period April 11 to June 10; the modal date for egg-laying is May 10 (Fig. 5). This sample is drawn from central and eastern Kansas, but includes records of breeding by some birds identified in the field asC. cafer.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 6 eggs.Nests are piles of wood chips in cavities excavated in stumps and dead limbs of trees such as willow, cottonwood, mulberry, and catalpa, ordinarily about six feet above the ground.Red-shafted Flicker:Colaptes cafer collarisVigors.—This woodpecker is a common summer resident in western Kansas, meeting, hybridizing with, and largely replaced byC. auratusin central and eastern sectors. The vast majority of specimens taken in Kansas show evidence of intergradation withC. auratus.Breeding schedule.—The few records of flickers identified in the field asC. caferhave been combined with those ofC. auratus(Fig. 5).Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is perhaps 6 eggs.Nests are like those ofC. auratus.Pileated Woodpecker:Dryocopus pileatus(Linnaeus).—This is a rare and local resident in the east, in heavy timber. The species has been seen, chiefly in winter, in all sectors of eastern Kansas in recent years, but actual records of breeding come only from Linn and Cherokee counties.D. p. abieticola(Bangs) occurs in the northeast, andD. p. pileatus(Linnaeus) in the southeast.Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid at least in April.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 3 or 4 eggs.Nests are of wood chips in cavities excavated 45 to 60 feet high in main trunks of cottonwood, sycamore, and pin oak.Red-bellied Woodpecker:Centurus carolinus zebra(Boddaert).—In woodland habitats this is a common resident in eastern Kansas, local in the west.Breeding schedule.—Thirty-seven records of breeding span the period March 1 to June 30 (Fig. 5); the modal date of egg-laying is aroundApril 25.Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 5 eggs.Nests are of wood chips in cavities excavated in elm, cottonwood, box elder, ash, hickory, or willow, about 25 feet high (nine to 60 feet).
Fig 3.—Histograms representing breeding schedulesFig. 3.—Histograms representing breeding schedules of two herons, the Red-tailed Hawk, Bobwhite, and two shore birds in Kansas. See legend to Figure 1 for explanation of histograms.
Black Vulture:Coragyps atratus(Meyer).—This is possibly a summer resident in the southeastern sector of Kansas. There is one nesting record, for Labette County (Goss, 1891:245).
Breeding schedule.—There are no data for this species in Kansas.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 2 eggs (Davie, 1898).
Nests are placed in hollows (logs, stumps,etc.) on the ground surface.
Swallow-tailed Kite:Elanoides forficatus forficatus(Linnaeus).—This kite was formerly a summer resident in eastern Kansas; it no longer occurs as a breeding species.
Breeding schedule.—In Kansas the season seemed to occur relatively late in the year for a raptor; eggs were laid in May, so far as is known.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 2 eggs (Davie, 1898).
Nests are placed in tops of trees.
Mississippi Kite:Ictinia misisippiensis(Wilson).—This is a common summer resident in southern Kansas, west to Morton County. Specimens taken in the breeding season and records of nesting come from south of stations in Grant, Barton, Harvey, and Douglas counties; the present center of abundance is in Meade, Clark, Comanche, Barber, and Harper counties.
Breeding schedule.—Seven records of breeding span the period April 20 to June 10; the peak of egg-laying seems to be in the first week of May.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 2 eggs.
Nests are placed about 35 feet high (from 25 to 50 feet) in cottonwood, willow, elm, black locust, and the like.
Sharp-shinned Hawk:Accipiter striatus velox(Wilson).—This rare summer resident apparently occurs only in the eastern part. The two nesting records are from Cloud and Pottawatomie counties.
Breeding schedule.—The information at hand suggests the birds lay in April and May.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 4 eggs (Davie, 1898).
Nests are placed 20 or more feet high in coniferous or deciduous trees.
Cooper Hawk:Accipiter cooperii(Bonaparte).—This is an uncommon resident. Specimens taken in the breeding season and actual records of nesting come from east of stations in Cloud, Anderson, and Montgomery counties.
Breeding schedule.—Fourteen records of breeding span the period March 21 to May 30; the modal date of egg-laying is April 25.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 4 eggs (3.8, 2-5; 5).
Nests are placed from 15 to 30 feet high, averaging 25 feet in elm, oak, and other trees.
Red-tailed Hawk:Buteo jamaicensis borealis(Gmelin).—This is a common resident east of the 100th meridian; to the west numbers are reduced, although the species is by no means unusual in western Kansas. Red-tails probably always were uncommon in western Kansas; Wolfe (1961) reports that they were "very rare as a nesting species"in Decatur County shortly after the turn of the 20th Century.Breeding schedule.—Thirty-six records of breeding span the period February 21 to April 10 (Fig. 3); the modal date of egg-laying is March 5.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 3 eggs (2.6, 2-3; 20).
Nests are placed about 40 feet high, ranging from 15 to 70 feet in cottonwood, honey locust, osage orange, sycamore, and walnut.
Red-shouldered Hawk:Buteo lineatus lineatus(Gmelin).—This is an uncommon summer resident in eastern Kansas, in riparian and bottomland timber. Nesting records are available from Leavenworth, Woodson, and Linn counties, and red-shoulders probably also nest in Doniphan County (Linsdale, 1928).
Breeding season.—Eggs are laid in March and April.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 3 eggs (Davie, 1898).
Nests are placed up to 70 feet high in elms and other streamside trees.
Table 11.—Occurrence in Time of the Summer Resident Vulture and Hawks in KansasSpeciesArrivalDepartureRangeMedianRangeMedianTurkey VultureMar. 7-Mar. 30Mar. 15Sept. 24-Oct. 28Oct. 5Red-shouldered HawkFeb. 10-Mar. 14Feb. 26Oct.-Dec.........Broad-winged HawkApr. 4-Apr. 21Apr. 12Sept. 1-Oct. 20........Swainson HawkMar. 24-Apr. 28Apr. 12Oct. 5-Nov. 2Oct. 11
Table 11.—Occurrence in Time of the Summer Resident Vulture and Hawks in Kansas
Broad-winged Hawk:Buteo platypterus platypterus(Vieillot).—This is an uncommon summer resident in eastern Kansas, in swampy woodland. Specimens taken in the breeding season and nesting records are from Shawnee, Douglas, Leavenworth, and Johnson counties; there are several nesting records from Missouri in the bottomlands just across the river from Wyandotte County Kansas. Occurrence in time is listed inTable 11.
Breeding schedule.—Four records of nesting span the period April 21 to May 30, but it is likely that the egg-season is longer than this.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 3 eggs.
Nests are placed high in deciduous trees.
Swainson Hawk:Buteo swainsoniBonaparte.—This is a common summer resident in prairie grassland with open groves and scattered trees. Records of breeding are available from all parts of the State, but are least numerous from the southeastern quarter. Occurrence in time is listed inTable 11.
Breeding schedule.—Sixteen records of breeding span the period April 11 to June 10; the modal date for completion of clutches is April 25.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 2 eggs (2.4, 2-3; 5).
Nests are placed about 35 feet high, actually ranging from 12 to 75 feet, in cottonwood, elm, willow, and honey locust. Occasionally nestsare placed on ledges in cliffs.
Ferruginous Hawk:Buteo regalis(Gray).—This is an uncommon resident in western Kansas, in grassland with scattered trees. Records of nesting and specimens taken in the breeding season come from Wallace, Hamilton, Gove, Logan, and Finney counties.
Breeding schedule.—Five records of breeding span the period March 11 to April 30.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 3 eggs (3.3, 3-4; 4).
Nests are placed on the ground surface on small cliffs or promontories or low (six to 10 feet) in small trees such as osage orange, cottonwood, and mulberry.
Marsh Hawk:Circus cyaneus hudsonius(Linnaeus).—This is a local resident in grassland throughout Kansas. Most records of breeding come from east of the Flint Hills, but it is not certain that the few records from the west actually reflect a low density of Marsh Hawks in that area.
Breeding schedule.—Sixteen records of breeding span the period April 11 to May 20; the modal date for egg-laying is May 5.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 5 eggs (5.2, 3-7; 14).
Nests are placed on the ground surface in grassy cover.
Peregrine Falcon:Falco peregrinus anatumBonaparte.—This falcon nested, perhaps regularly but clearly in small numbers, in Kansas prior to the 20th Century. The best documented breeding occurrence was at Neosho Falls, Woodson County (Goss, 1891:283).
Breeding schedule.—Eggs were recorded as being laid in February and March.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 3 or 4 eggs (Davie, 1898).
Nests are placed relatively high on cliffs and in trees; at Neosho Falls these birds used open cavities 50 to 60 feet high in sycamores.
Sparrow Hawk:Falco sparverius sparveriusLinnaeus.—This is a common resident throughout Kansas, in parkland and woodland edge.
Breeding schedule.—Thirteen records of egg-laying span the period March 21 to May 20; the modal date of laying is not evident in this sample but it probably falls around April 10.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 4 eggs (4.2, 3-5; 5).
Nests are placed in cavities about 16 feet high, actually 12 to 30 feet, in cottonwood, ash, maple, Purple Martin "houses," and human dwellings.
Greater Prairie Chicken:Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus(Brewster).—This is a locally common resident in eastern Kansas, in and about bluestem prairie grassland, and is local in the northwest in undisturbed plains grassland. Wolfe (1961) reports that the species was common in Decatur County shortly after the turn of the Century, but that it became rare by 1914.
Breeding schedule.—Twenty-one records of breeding span the period May 1 to June 10 (Fig. 3); the modal date for laying is May 5. The sample indicates an abrupt inception to laying of eggs, and this may be a reflection of timing characteristic of behavior at leks, or booming grounds.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 12 eggs (11.7, 9-15; 17).
Nests are placed on the surface of the ground in bluestem grassland orplains bunchgrass, usually under cover of prairie grasses and forbs.
Lesser Prairie Chicken:Tympanuchus pallidicinctus(Ridgway).—This is a local resident in sandy grassland in southwestern Kansas. Distribution is to the west and south of Pawnee County.
Breeding schedule.—There is no information on timing of the breeding season in Kansas.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is thought to be near that of the Greater Prairie Chicken. Vic Housholder (MS) observed a hen with ten chicks ten miles south of Dodge City, Ford County, on June 1, 1955.
Bobwhite:Colinus virginianus(Linnaeus).—This is a common resident in the east, but is local in western Kansas; occurrence is in broken woodland and other edge habitats.C. v. virginianus(Linnaeus) is found northeast of stations in Nemaha, Douglas, and Miami counties, andC. v. tayloriLincoln is found in the remainder of the State.
Breeding schedule.—Twenty-four records of breeding span the period May 1 to September 20 (Fig. 3); the modal date for first clutches is May 25. The long period of egg-laying after May probably includes both renesting efforts and true second nestings.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 13 eggs (12.8, 8-21; 22); in the present sample 16 eggs was the most frequent number.
Nests are placed on the surface of the ground at bases of bunch grasses, saplings, trees, or posts, under cover of prairie grasses, forbs, or small woody plants.
Scaled Quail:Callipepla squamata pallidaBrewster.—This is a locally common resident in southwestern Kansas, chiefly west of Clark County and south of the Arkansas River; preferred habitat seems to be in open, sandy prairie.
Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid at least in May; the egg-season in Kansas is unlikely to be so prolonged as that of the Bobwhite; among other factors involved, the Scaled Quail in Kansas is at a northern extreme of its distribution, where suboptimal environmental conditions may occur relatively frequently.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is around 10 to 12 eggs.
Nests are placed on the ground surface under woody or herbaceous cover.
Ring-necked Pheasant:Phasianus colchicusLinnaeus.—This introduced resident is common in western Kansas, is local and uncommon in the east, and is found in agricultural land with scattered woody vegetation.
Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid at least in May.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 10 to 12 eggs.
Nests are placed on the surface of the ground in woody or herbaceous cover.
Wild Turkey:Meleagris gallopavoLinnaeus.—Turkeys formerly occurred as common residents in flood-plain woodland in eastern Kansas, and their distribution extended through the west in riparian woodland. Present population in eastern and southern sectors are partly the result of introductions of birds from Missouri by humans in the 1950s. Turkeys in southern Kansas are also present owing to natural dispersal along the Arkansas and Medicine Lodge rivers of birds native to and introduced into Oklahoma. No specimens of turkeys presently found inKansas are available for examination but these birds probably are referable toM. g. silvestrisVieillot, the trinomen applied to turkeys in Missouri and northeastern Oklahoma.
Turkeys from southern Texas recently have been liberated at several localities in southern Nebraska; turkeys seen in extreme northern Kansas are thus probably of these stocks. The nameM. g. intermediaSennett is applicable to these birds.
Breeding schedule.—No information is available on the egg-season in Kansas; turkeys have nested in southern Kansas within recent years, however.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is perhaps 12 eggs.
Nests are placed on the surface of the ground, usually well-concealed under woody vegetation.
King Rail:Rallus elegans elegansAudubon.—This summer resident is locally common in marshlands. Nesting records or adults taken in the breeding season are from Cheyenne, Meade, Pratt, Stafford, Cloud, Riley, Douglas, Anderson, and Allen counties. Dates of arrival in spring are recorded from April 7 to April 28; the median date is April 18. Departure in autumn is possibly as early as September in the north, but four records are in the period October 12 to November 25. The species occasionally can be found in winter (Douglas County, December 28, 1915).
Breeding schedule.—Fourteen records of breeding span the period May 1 to July 20; the modal date for egg-laying is June 5.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 10 eggs (9 to 12; 4 records).
Nests are placed on the surface of the ground, under grassy or woody cover.
Virginia Rail:Rallus limicola limicolaVieillot.—This is an uncommon summer resident, presumably throughout the State. The one breeding record is from Morton County (May 24, 1950; Graber and Graber, 1951). Dates of spring arrival are from April 19 to May 18; dates of last observation in autumn are within the period September 1 to October 30. A few birds overwinter in the southern part of the State (Meade County, December and January).
Breeding season.—Eggs are laid probably in May and June.
Number of eggs.—Six to 12 eggs are laid (Davie, 1898).
Nests are placed in emergent aquatic plants, near the surface of the water.
Sora:Porzana carolina(Linnaeus).—This is an uncommon summer resident in marshland. Nesting records or specimens taken in the breeding season come from Finney, Barton, Jefferson, Douglas, and Miami counties. First dates of observation in spring are from April 11 to May 9 (the median is May 1); dates when last observed in autumn are from September 30 to November 9 (the median is October 18).
Breeding schedule.—The one dated record comes from August.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is around 10 eggs (Davie, 1898).
Nests are on the ground in grassy or herbaceous cover.
Black Rail:Laterallus jamaicensis jamaicensis(Gmelin).—This is an uncommon summer resident in Kansas. Records of breeding and specimens taken in the breeding season come from Finney, Meade, Riley, and Franklin counties. Seasonal occurrence is within the period March 18 to September 26.
Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid at least in June.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 8 eggs (6-10; 4). Nests are on the ground under cover of marsh plants.
Common Gallinule:Gallinula chloropus cachinnansBangs.—This is a local summer resident in marshlands. Nesting records and specimens taken in the breeding season come from Barton, Stafford, Shawnee, Douglas, and Coffey counties. Occurrence in the State is from April through September.
Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid in May and June.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 10 eggs.
Nests are in marsh grasses and other emergent vegetation, not necessarily over water.
American Coot:Fulica americana americanaGmelin.—This is an uncommon, local summer resident in wetlands in Kansas. Coots are at greatest abundance in autumnal and spring migratory movements, but are present all year. Nesting has been recorded from Barton, Stafford, Doniphan, and Douglas counties.
Breeding schedule.—Thirty-eight records of breeding span the period May 11 to June 30; the mode to laying is May 25. Earlier breeding probably occurs in the State.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 8 eggs (7.7, 5-12; 28).
Nests are made of marsh vegetation (arrowhead, cattail) and float on water.
Snowy Plover:Charadrius alexandrinus tenuirostris(Lawrence).—This summer resident is fairly common on the saline flats of central and south-central Kansas. Breeding records are from Barton, Stafford, Meade, Clark, and Comanche counties.
Breeding schedule.—Fifteen records show that eggs are laid in the period May 25 to June 20; the peak of laying seems to be around June 10.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 3 eggs.
Eggs are deposited on bare sand.
Killdeer:Charadrius vociferus vociferusLinnaeus.—This summer resident is common throughout the State, in open country frequently near wetlands. A few individuals overwinter in Kansas, especially in the southern counties.
Breeding schedule.—The 29 records of breeding span the period March 21 to June 30; the modal date of laying is May 20. The distribution of completed clutches (Fig. 3) suggests that Killdeers are here double-brooded.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 4 eggs.
Eggs are laid on the surface of the ground, frequently on gravel, field stubble, plowed earth, and pasture.
Mountain Plover:Eupoda montana(Townsend).—This is an uncommon and local summer resident in western short-grass prairie. Breeding records come from Greeley and Decatur counties.
Breeding schedule.—Wolfe (1961) wrote that the species in Decatur County laid eggs in the "last of May" in the early 1900s. The only other dated breeding record is of downy young (KU 5512, 5513) taken on June 21.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is usually 3 eggs.
Eggs are laid in slight depressions in the ground, "lined with a few grass stems," according to Wolfe (1961).
American Woodcock:Philohela minor(Gmelin).—This is a rare summer resident in wet woodlands in eastern Kansas. Arrival in the northeast is from mid-March through April, with departures southward occurring from September to December; the last date on which the species has been seen in any year is December 5. There are nesting records only from Woodson County; probably the species nests in Douglas County (Fitch, 1958:194).
Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid in April.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is usually 4 eggs.
Nests are depressions in the dry ground within swampy places, usually under heavy plant cover.
Long-billed Curlew:Numenius americanus americanusBechstein.—This is an uncommon summer resident in western Kansas, in prairie grassland. Breeding records are from Stanton and Morton counties.
Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid at least in May and June.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 4 eggs.
Eggs are laid in slight depressions in the ground in grassy cover.
Upland Plover:Bartramia longicauda(Bechstein).—This is a locally common summer resident, most conspicuously in the Flint Hills, in grassland. Breeding records are from Trego, Hamilton, Finney, Morton, Meade, Marion, Chase, Kearny, Butler, Cowley, Douglas, Johnson, Wabaunsee, Franklin, Anderson, and Coffey counties. Dates of first arrival in spring span the period April 2 to May 5 (the median is April 19), and dates last seen in autumn are from September 3 to October 6 (the median is September 13).
Breeding schedule.—Sixteen records of breeding span the period April 21 to June 10; the modal date for egg-laying is May 5.
Number of eggs.—Usually 4 eggs are laid.
Eggs are placed on vegetation on the ground surface, in pasture, field stubble, or gravel, frequently under heavy plant cover.
Spotted Sandpiper:Actitis macularia(Linnaeus).—This summer resident is locally common on wet ground and along streams. Dates of arrival in spring are from March 29 to April 30 (the median is April 24), and dates of last observation in autumn span the period September 2 to October 10 (the median is September 18).
Breeding schedule.—Egg records are all from the northeastern sector, and all are for May.
Number of eggs.—Usually 4 eggs are laid.
Nests are of plant fibers in depressions in dry ground on gravel banks, pond or stream borders, or in pastureland.
American Avocet:Recurvirostra americanaGmelin.—This is a local summer resident in marshes in central and western Kansas. There are breeding records from Finney, Barton, and Stafford counties. Extreme dates within which avocets have been recorded are April 2 to November 21.
Breeding schedule.—Forty-one records of breeding span the period May 11 to June 20 (26 records shown inFig. 3); the modal date for laying is June 5.
Number of eggs.—Usually 4 eggs are laid.
Nests are placed on the surface of the ground, near water.
Wilson Phalarope:Steganopus tricolorVieillot.—This is a local summer resident in marshes in central and western Kansas, but breedingrecords are available only from Barton County. The earliest date of occurrence is April 7 and the latest is October 14.
Breeding schedule.—Ten records indicate eggs are laid in May and June.
Number of eggs.—Three or 4 eggs are laid.
Nests are of plant stems in slight depressions in the ground.
Forster Tern:Sterna forsteriNuttall.—This is a local summer resident in central Kansas, in marshes. There are breeding records only from Cheyenne Bottoms, Barton County (Zuvanich, 1963:1). First dates of arrival in spring span the period April 9 to 29 (the median is April 22), and apparent departure south in autumn occurs from August 1 to November 1 (the median is September 3).
Breeding schedule.—Twenty-three records of nesting are from late May to mid-June; all records are for the year 1962.
Number of eggs.—Usually 4 eggs are laid.
Nests are frequently floating platforms of vegetation (algae, cattail, and the like) in shallow water; old nests of Pied-billed Grebes are sometimes used as bases, and occasionally the birds nest on the ground.
Least Tern:Sterna albifrons athalassosBurleigh and Lowery.—This tern is a local summer resident in marshes and along streams in central and western Kansas. There are breeding records from Hamilton, Meade, and Stafford counties. First dates of arrival in spring are from May 14 to 30 (the median is May 28), and last dates of occurrence in autumn are from August 9 to September 7 (the median is August 25).
Breeding schedule.—Twenty-one records of egg-laying are from May 21 to June 30 (Fig. 4); the modal date for laying is June 5.
Number of eggs.—Two, 3 or 4 eggs are laid.
Eggs are laid on the bare ground, usually a sandy surface, near water.
Black Tern:Chlidonias niger surinamensis(Gmelin).—This is a local summer resident in marshlands in central Kansas. There are breeding records only from Barton County for 1961 and 1962; possibly the species breeds in Douglas County. First dates of arrival in spring are from May 3 to 29 (the median is May 14), and last dates of occurrence in autumn are from September 2 to 30 (the median is September 11).
Breeding schedule.—Twenty-four sets of eggs (Parmelee, 1961:25; M. Schwilling) were complete between June 11 and July 12.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 3 eggs.
Nests are of dead plant matter placed on floating parts of emergent green plants in shallow water.
Rock Dove:Columba liviaGmelin.—This species was introduced into North America by man from European stocks of semi-domesticated ancestry. "Pigeons" now are feral around towns and farms, and cliffsides in the west, and are locally common permanent residents throughout the State.
Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid in every month of the year. The main season of breeding is spring, and this is depicted in Figure 4; the 26 records of breeding by feral birds are from January 11 to June 10, and the modal date of laying is probably April 5.
Number of eggs.—Pigeons usually lay 2 eggs. Nests are of sticks and other plant matter placed on ledges and recesses of buildings, bridges, and cliffs, 10 to 60 feet high.
Fig 4.—Histograms representing breeding schedulesFig.4.—Histograms representing breeding schedules of the Least Tern, two doves, the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and two owls in Kansas. See legend to Figure 1 for explanation of histograms.
Mourning Dove:Zenaidura macroura marginella(Woodhouse).—This is a common summer resident throughout the State, in open country and woodland edge. The species is also present in winter in much reduced numbers, and many are transient in periods of migration. The time of greatest abundance is from March to November. Doves of extreme eastern Kansas have by some workers been referred to the subspeciesZ. m. carolinensis(Linnaeus);specimens at the Museum of Natural History indicate that these doves are best regarded as members of populations of intermediate subspecific, or morphologic, affinities, and that they are satisfactorily included withinZ. m. marginella.
Breeding schedule.—Numerous (983) records of egg-laying from north-central Kansas are from April 1 to September 10; the modal date for laying is May 15. Forty-three records of breeding from northeastern Kansas span the period March 21 to August 10; the modal date of laying is May 15. These samples are depicted in Figure 4.
Both sets of data are shown here to illustrate some of the differences between large and small samples of heterogeneous data. The small sample tends to be incomplete both early and late in the season, and the mode tends to be conspicuous. Yet, the modes for the two samples coincide. Also, the data from the north-central sector indicate that egg-laying in March would be found less than once in 983 records, but the small sample from the northeast includes one record for March. Such an instance doubtless reflects, at least in part, the fact that the two geographic sectors have different environmental conditions, but it is likely that the instance also partly reflects the unpredictable nature of sampling.
Number of eggs.—Doves lay two eggs. About one per cent of all nests have 3 eggs, but it is not known for any of these whether one or two females were responsible.
Nests are placed in a wide variety of plants, or on the ground. The commonest plants are those used most frequently; in north-central Kansas one-third of all nests are placed in osage orange trees, but in the northeast elms are most frequently used. Nestsites are from zero to 15 feet high.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo:Coccyzus americanus americanus(Linnaeus).—This is a common summer resident in riparian and second-growth habitats throughout the State. Twenty-three dates of first arrival in spring fall between April 29 and May 22 (the median is May 12), and nine dates of last observation in autumn run from September 13 to October 12 (the median is September 23).
Breeding schedule.—Sixty-nine records of egg-laying span the period May 11 to September 10 (Fig. 4); the modal date of laying is June 5.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 3 eggs (3.1, 2-5; 54).
Nests are placed about six feet high (from four to 20 feet) in sumac, rose, pawpaw, mulberry, elm, cottonwood, willow, redbud, oak, osage orange, walnut, boxelder, usually on horizontal surfaces, and in heavy cover.
Black-billed Cuckoo:Coccyzus erythropthalmus(Wilson).—This is an uncommon summer resident, occurring in heavy riparian shrubbery and second-growth. Breeding records are chiefly from eastern Kansas, but specimens have been taken in the breeding season in all parts of the State. Eleven dates of first arrival in spring are from May 7 to May 30 (the median is May 19), and four dates of last observed occurrence in autumn are between September 4 and October 7 (the average is September 18).
Breeding schedule.—Seventeen records of egg-laying are between May 21 and August 10; the mode is at June 5.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 2 to 3 eggs (2.5, 2-3; 13).
Nests are placed about four feet high in heavy cover in plum, elm, locust,and the like.
Roadrunner:Geococcyx californianus(Lesson).—This is a local resident in southern Kansas in xeric scrub or open edge habitats. Breeding records are from Cowley and Sumner counties.
Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid at least from early April to mid-July.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 5 eggs (4.5, 3-6; 4).
Nests are placed on the ground under plant cover, or occasionally low in bushes.
Barn Owl:Tyto alba pratincolaBonaparte.—This resident has a low density throughout Kansas in open woodland and near agricultural enterprises of man.
Breeding schedule.—The few records available indicate egg-laying occurs at least from April to July; elsewhere the species is known to have a more protracted breeding schedule.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 5 eggs (4.7, 2-6; 4).
Nests are informal aggregations of sticks and litter placed in recesses in stumps, hollow trees, rocky and earthen banks, and dwellings and outbuildings of man.
Screech Owl:Otus asio(Linnaeus).—This is a common resident in woodland habitats throughout Kansas.O. a. aikeni(Brewster) occurs west of Rawlins, Gove, and Comanche counties, andO. a. naevius(Gmelin) occurs in the remainder of the State except for the eastern south-central sector, occupied byO. a. hasbrouckiRidgway.
Breeding schedule.—Fifteen records of egg-laying span the period March 20 to May 10; there is a strong mode at April 5.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 4 eggs (4.0, 3-6; 12).
Nests are placed in holes and recesses in trees, three to 20 feet high.
Great Horned Owl:Bubo virginianus(Gmelin).—This is a common resident throughout Kansas, especially near woodlands and cliffsides.B. v. virginianus(Gmelin) occurs east of a line through Rawlins and Meade counties andB. v. occidentalisStone occurs to the west.
Breeding schedule.—Fifty-seven records of egg-laying span the period January 11 to March 20 (Fig. 4); the modal date for laying is near February 10.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 2 eggs (2.4, 2-3; 22).
Nests are placed about 30 feet high in cottonwood, elm, osage orange, hackberry, juniper, locust, cliffsides, and buildings of man. Old nests of hawks, crows, and herons are frequently appropriated.
Burrowing Owl:Speotyto cunicularia hypugaea(Bonaparte).—This is an uncommon summer resident in western Kansas in grassland and open scrub habitats. Stations of breeding all come from west of a line running through Cloud and Barber counties. Arrival in spring is between March 22 and April 17 (the median for 7 records is April 9), and dates last seen in autumn span the period September 8 to November 14 (the median for 9 records is September 26).
Breeding schedule.—Twenty-one records of egg-laying run from April 11 to July 10 (Fig. 4); the mode of laying is May 15.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 7 or 8 eggs.
Nests are informal aggregations of plant and animal fibers in chambers ofearthen burrows usually made by badgers or prairie dogs.
Barred Owl:Strix varia variaBarton.—This is a local resident in eastern Kansas, in heavy woodland. The species is said by implication (A. O. U. Check-list, 1957) to occur in western Kansas, but no good breeding records are available, all such records coming from and east of Morris County. Specimens from southeastern Kansas show morphologic intergradation with characters ofS. v. georgicaLatham.
Breeding schedule.—Three records of egg-laying are for the first half of March.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size in our sample is 2 eggs.
Nests are situated in cavities in trees or in old hawk or crow nests.
Long-eared Owl:Asio otus wilsonianus(Lesson).—This owl is a local resident or summer resident in woodland with heavy cover throughout the State. Breeding records are available from Trego, Meade, Cloud, and Douglas counties.
Breeding schedule.—Four records of egg-laying are for the period March 11 to April 10.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 5 or 6 eggs.
Nests are placed in hollows of trees, stumps, cliffsides, on the ground surface, or in old hawk, crow, or magpie nests (Davie, 1898).
Short-eared Owl:Asio flammeus flammeus(Pontoppidan).—This is a local resident or summer resident in open, marshy, and edge habitats; records of nesting come from Republic, Marshall, Woodson, and Bourbon counties.
Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid at least in April.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 6 eggs (Davie, 1898).
Nests are simple structures of sticks and grasses, placed on the ground in grasses, frequently near cover of downed timber or bushes.
Saw-whet Owl:Aegolius acadicus acadicus(Gmelin).—This is a rare and local resident, in woodland. There is one breeding record (summer, 1951, Wyandotte County; Tordoff, 1956:331).
Chuck-will's-widow:Caprimulgus carolinensisGmelin.—This is a locally common summer resident in woodland habitats in eastern Kansas. Stations of occurrence of actual breeding fall south of Wyandotte County and east of Shawnee, Greenwood, Stafford, and Sedgwick counties.
Breeding schedule.—Five records of breeding come between April 21 and May 31, with a peak perhaps in the first third of May.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 2 eggs.
Eggs are laid on heavy leaf-litter, usually under shrubby cover.
Whip-poor-will:Caprimulgus vociferus vociferusWilson.—This is a local summer resident in woodland in eastern Kansas. Breeding records are available only from Doniphan, Leavenworth, and Douglas counties; there are sight records in summer from Shawnee County.
Breeding schedule.—Two records of breeding cover the period May 21 to June 20.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 2 eggs.
Eggs are laid on heavy leaf-litter in shrubby cover.
Poor-will:Phalaenoptilus nuttallii nuttallii(Audubon).—This is a commonsummer resident in western Kansas, in xeric, scrubby woodland. Breeding records are chiefly from west of Riley County, but there is one from Franklin County; specimens taken in the breeding season are available from Doniphan, Douglas, Anderson, Woodson, and Greenwood counties.
Breeding schedule.—Six records of egg-laying are from the period May 1 to June 20.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 2 eggs.
Eggs are laid on the ground, with or without plant cover.
Table 12.—Occurrence in Time of Summer Resident Caprimulgids and Apodids in KansasSpeciesArrivalDepartureRangeMedianRangeMedianChuck-will's-widowApr. 20-May 1Apr. 28Oct.-Dec.Oct. ?Whip-poor-willApr. 6-Apr. 25Apr. 17Sept. 10-Oct. 11Sept. 21Poor-willApr. 12........Sept. 20........Common NighthawkApr. 29-May 23May 15Sept. 13-Oct. 18Sept. 23Chimney SwiftApr. 2-Apr. 30Apr. 22Sept. 18-Oct. 30Oct. 4Ruby-throated HummingbirdApr. 2-May 19May 6Sept. 3-Oct. 15Sept. 10
Table 12.—Occurrence in Time of Summer Resident Caprimulgids and Apodids in Kansas
Common Nighthawk:Chordeiles minor(Forster).—This is a common summer resident throughout Kansas. Temporal occurrence is indicated inTable 11. Three subspecies reach their distributional limits in the State,C. m. minor(Forster) in northeastern Kansas,C. m. chapmaniCoues in southeastern Kansas, andC. m. howelliOberholser west of the Flint Hills.
Breeding schedule.—Twenty-two records of breeding span the period May 11 to June 30; the modal date for egg-laying is June 10 (Fig. 5).
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 2 eggs.
Eggs are laid on the ground in rocky or gravelly areas, on unpaved roads, or on flat, gravelled tops of buildings of man.
Chimney Swift:Chaetura pelagica(Linnaeus).—This is a common summer resident in eastern Kansas, around towns. Temporal occurrence in the State is indicated inTable 12.
Breeding schedule.—Thirty-six records of breeding span the period May 11 to June 30; the modal date for egg-laying is May 25 (Fig. 5).
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 4 eggs.
Nests are secured by means of a salivary cement to vertical surfaces, usually near the inside tops of chimneys in dwellings of man, but occasionally in abandoned buildings and hollow trees.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird:Archilochus colubris(Linnaeus).—This is an uncommon summer resident in eastern Kansas, and is rare in the west, in towns and along riparian vegetation. Temporal occurrence in the State is listed inTable 12.
Breeding schedule.—Eight records of breeding fall within the period May 21 to July 10; there seems to be a peak to laying in the lastthird of June.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 2 eggs.
Most nests are on outer branches of shrubs and trees, in forks or on pendant branches, 10 to 20 feet high.
Belted Kingfisher:Megaceryle alcyon alcyon(Linnaeus).—This summer resident is common throughout the State in streamside and lakeside habitats. Timing of arrival and departure of the breeding birds is not well-documented owing to the fact that the species is also transient and a winter resident in the State.
Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid at least from April 21 to May 20.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is near 6 eggs.
Eggs are laid on the floor of the chamber at the inner end of a horizontal tunnel excavated in an earthen bank. The tunnel is two to six feet long and many tunnels are strewn with bones and other dietary refuse.
Yellow-shafted Flicker:Colaptes auratus(Linnaeus).—This is a common resident and summer resident in eastern Kansas, meeting, hybridizing with, and partly replaced byColaptes caferwestward, in open woodlands.C. a. auratus(Linnaeus) occurs in southeastern Kansas, andC. a. luteusBangs occurs in the remainder, intergrading west of the Flint Hills withC. cafer.
Breeding season.—Forty-eight records of breeding span the period April 11 to June 10; the modal date for egg-laying is May 10 (Fig. 5). This sample is drawn from central and eastern Kansas, but includes records of breeding by some birds identified in the field asC. cafer.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 6 eggs.
Nests are piles of wood chips in cavities excavated in stumps and dead limbs of trees such as willow, cottonwood, mulberry, and catalpa, ordinarily about six feet above the ground.
Red-shafted Flicker:Colaptes cafer collarisVigors.—This woodpecker is a common summer resident in western Kansas, meeting, hybridizing with, and largely replaced byC. auratusin central and eastern sectors. The vast majority of specimens taken in Kansas show evidence of intergradation withC. auratus.
Breeding schedule.—The few records of flickers identified in the field asC. caferhave been combined with those ofC. auratus(Fig. 5).
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is perhaps 6 eggs.
Nests are like those ofC. auratus.
Pileated Woodpecker:Dryocopus pileatus(Linnaeus).—This is a rare and local resident in the east, in heavy timber. The species has been seen, chiefly in winter, in all sectors of eastern Kansas in recent years, but actual records of breeding come only from Linn and Cherokee counties.D. p. abieticola(Bangs) occurs in the northeast, andD. p. pileatus(Linnaeus) in the southeast.
Breeding schedule.—Eggs are laid at least in April.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 3 or 4 eggs.
Nests are of wood chips in cavities excavated 45 to 60 feet high in main trunks of cottonwood, sycamore, and pin oak.
Red-bellied Woodpecker:Centurus carolinus zebra(Boddaert).—In woodland habitats this is a common resident in eastern Kansas, local in the west.
Breeding schedule.—Thirty-seven records of breeding span the period March 1 to June 30 (Fig. 5); the modal date of egg-laying is aroundApril 25.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 5 eggs.
Nests are of wood chips in cavities excavated in elm, cottonwood, box elder, ash, hickory, or willow, about 25 feet high (nine to 60 feet).