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New Records for Idaho

M. Jollie

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New Records for Idaho,-On March 2, 1953, a single “little brown crane” was reported by Dr. W. F. Barr, of the University of Idaho staff, as feeding in a small spring pond in a pasture one and one-half miles south-southeast of Genesee in Nez Perce County, Idaho. The arrival of the writer about one hour later found the bird still there and feeding vigorously. It paid no attention to the car nor to my approach. The specimen, which is an example of Grus canadensis canudensis, was an immature female, fairly fat and in good condition. It weighed six pounds, had a wing span of 65g inches and was 33 inches in length, as measured from the tip of bill to tip of tail. The stomach contained a few snails and some algae.

This subspecies has not previously been recorded for the state and its occurrence in this area and at this time of year was unexpected. The Sandhill Crane (G. c. tabida) formerly was a common breeder in this area but now occurs here only as a rare migrant. Its dates of passage are generally somewhat later (mid- to late March) than the date on which the specimen of G. c. canadensis was collected.

The specimen shows evidence of an incomplete molt; it has feathers of two plumages, juvenal and adult ( ?). The head and neck show a few juvenal feathers, while the wing has retained many greater, middle, and lesser coverts of the juvenal plumage. The juvenal primaries, secondaries, most of the tertiaries and scapulars, and the rectrices appear to have been replaced. The belly is largely unmolted.

Mr. Gerald Madsen, a student at the University of Idaho, collected a female Old-squaw Duck (Clan&a hyemalis) on the Pend Oreille River at Sandpoint, Bonner County, on November 25, 1950. The specimen is in the winter plumage. This is the first specimen taken in the state. Dr. Charles Yocom (Murrelet, 31, 1950:47) reported seeing a male in winter plumage just north of New Meadows, Adams County, on April 1, 1950. Mr. Madsen has kindly donated the specimen to the University collection.-M. JOLLIE, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, Januury 6, 1955

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