Table Of ContentSHORT COMMUNICATIONS 133
productive synchrony and extra-pair mating strat- TAM, AND R. Montgomerie. 1999. Extrapair pa-
egy in a socially monogamous bird, Dendroica ternity in a farnorthern population ofYellow War-
petechia. Animal Behaviour 54:1393-1403. blers, Dendroica petechia. Journal of Avian Bi-
Yezerinac, S. M., H. L. Gibbs, J. V. Briskie, R. Whit- ology 30:234-237.
The Wilson Journal ofOrnithology 119(1):133-134, 2007
Red-breasted Sapsuckers Nest in Utility Pole
Steven R. Helm'
—
ABSTRACT. A pair of Red-breasted Sapsuckers of the pole was characterized by a vineyard
(Sphyrapicus ruber) was observed nesting in an elec- and farm with Christmas trees and scattered
tric distribution, creosote-treated, wood utility pole in orchard trees to the west and mature riparian
the Willamette Valley, Oregon during spring 2006. To
the author’s knowledge, this is the first published ac- mixed forest, along the Tualatin River, to the
countofa sapsuckernesting in a utility pole. Received east. Branches of an approximately 25-m tall
5 July 2006. Accepted4 August 2006. Douglas-fir (Psuedotsuga menziesii) contacted
the west side of the pole.
Red-breasted Sapsuckers, although known
A pair of Red-breasted Sapsuckers {Sphyr- to drum on utility poles (Bent 1939), typically
apicus ruber) was observed nesting in an elec- excavate nest cavities in large snags or live
tric distribution, creosote-treated, wood utility trees with decayed interiors (Howell 1952, Joy
pole from 29 May through 4 June 2006 in the 2000, Walters et al. 2002). Nests in western
Willamette Valley, Clackamas County, Oregon are associated with dense midstory
Oregon (T2S, RIE, S28). The approximately and understory cover in close proximity to
12-m tall pole was installed in 1969 and was water (Nelson 1988). New nest cavities are
heavily damaged. The nest hole was at a excavated each year, often in the same tree
height of 3.0 m, while four similar sized nest used in previous years (Howell 1952), and
holes and numerous non-nest excavations eggs are deposited on fine wood chips that are
were evident higher on the pole. On 8 June retained in the cavity (Bent 1939). Other spe-
2006, an adult was found dead on the pole. cies ofwoodpeckers are known to nest in util-
The bird’s leg had become tangled in fine, ity poles causing significant damage (Dennis
black, plastic netting material that was present 1964, Harness and Walters 2004). Lower nest
in the nest cavity. Apparently, the bird could success occurs in recently installed, treated
not free itself as it flew from the pole. It is poles compared to more weathered, older (15
unknown whether the netting was used by the to 20 years), treated poles (Rumsey 1970).
pair as a nest liner or placed by someone to None of the four currently recognized spe-
cause nest failure. Nestlings were heard at the cies ofsapsuckers (AOU 1998) has previously
time the adult was removed but perished, as been reported, to the author’s knowledge, to
the nest was abandoned by the other adult. nest in utility poles. This account departs from
Red-breasted Sapsuckers had nested in this published literature on nesting habitat of sap-
pole for several consecutive years according suckers in general, and suggests that Red-
to local residents. breasted Sapsuckers are more opportunistic
The pole was along a lightly traveled road than previously thought. Photographic docu-
in a semi-rural area and the nest hole faced mentation of the nesting pair was submitted
east, toward the road. Habitat in the vicinity with the manuscript.
LITERATURE CITED
' U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, R O. Box 2946 AmericanOrnithologists’ Union. 1998.Check-listof
(CENWP-PM-E), Portland, OR 97208, USA; e-mail: North American birds. Seventh Edition. American
[email protected] Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C., USA.
:
134 THE WILSON JOURNAL OL ORNITHOLOGY • Vol. 119, No. I, March 2007
Bent, A. C. 1939. Northern Red-breasted Sapsucker. Joy, J. B. 2000. Characteristics of nest cavities and
Pages 151-154 in Life histories of North Ameri- nesttreesofthe Red-breastedSapsuckerincoastal
can woodpeckers. U.S. National Museum Bulletin montane forests. Journal ofEield Ornithology 71
174. 525-530.
Dennis, J. V. 1964. Woodpecker damage to utility Nelson, S. K. 1988. Habitat use and densities ofcav-
poles: with special reference to the role of terri- ity-nesting birds in the Oregon Coastranges. The-
tory and resonance. Bird-Banding 35:225-253.
Harness, R. E. and E. L. Walters. 2004. Woodpeck- sis. Oregon State University, Corvallis, USA.
ers and utility pole damage. Rural Electric Power Rumsey, R. L. 1970. Woodpecker nest failures in cre-
Conference. Paper 04 B3. 23-25 May 2004, osoted utility poles. Auk 87:367-369.
Scottsdale, Arizona, USA. Walters, E. L., E. H. Miller, and P. E. Lowther.
Howell,T. R. 1952. Natural historyanddifferentiation 2002. Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus rub-
in the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Condor 54:237- er) and Red-naped Sapsucker {Sphyrapicus nu-
282. chalis). The birds ofNorth America. Number663.
The Wilson Journal ofOrnithology 1 19(1):134—136, 2007
The First Specimen Record of Gray Heron (Ardea cinerea) for
North America
Martin Renner' and Paul D. Linegar^
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ABSTRACT A Gray Heron (Ardea cinerea) was This bird was presumed to be a Great Blue
found alive on 1 1 October 1996 in Newfoundland, Heron (Ardea herodias), was frozen and sent
Canada. It was identihed as a Great Blue Heron (A. to the Biology Department at MUN to be used
herodias), and prepared asa study skin fora university
teaching collection. We give a description of this first in teaching specimen preparation. The skin
specimen for North America and summarize previous was prepared by a student, deposited in the
records from the western hemisphere. Received31 Oc- collection, and labeled as a Great Blue Heron.
tober 2005. Accepted 1 March 2006. It is now deposited in the Royal Ontario Mu-
ROM
seum as catalog number 104256; male,
culmen: 120 mm, flattened wing: 455 mm, tar-
The first Gray Heron (Ardea cinerea) spee- sus: 152 mm (measurements by MR).
imen for North America was discovered by
MR
while selecting bird specimens from a DESCRIPTION AND IDENTIFICATION
teaching collection for an ornithology class at
Memorial University of Newfoundland The heron was gray above and white on the
(MUN) in September 2002. It had been lying, belly. The sides of the neck were uniform
misidentified, in the MUN collection for gray, and the crown was gray with a small
years. The bird has been found moribund on blackish gray crest. The combination ofa gray
11 October 1996 at Lear's Cove (46° 50' N, neck and white belly, and size rules out most
054°11'W), Avalon Peninsula, Newfound- of the world’s herons other than Gray and
land, about 3 km north ofCape St. Mary’s and Great Blue —herons.
taken to Salmonier Nature Park where it died. Plumage. The specimen lacks any rusty
brown on the leg feathers or on the underwing
' Bit)logy Department, Memorial University of or neck in contrast to a Great Blue Heron.
Newfoundland, NL AIB 3X9, Canada. There is a slightly buffy hue on the thighs.
-21 Osbourne St., St. John's, NL AIB 3X6,Canada. The front ofthe neck is white with bold black
’Current address: School of Aquatic and Eishery
spots of high contrast. Thinner, longer, less
Science, University ofWashington, Box 355020, Seat-
tle, WA 98195, USA. well-defined black streaks continue from the
’Corresponding author; e-mail: neck to the belly. The neck on the Gray Heron
[email protected] is plain gray laterally without such markings
