Birds from Coahuila, Mexico Part 5

**_Selasphorus platycercus platycercus_ (Swainson).--_Specimens examined:_ total 2: [Male] 31583 from 20 mi. S Ocampo, 6500 ft., April 4, 1954; and [Female] 32673 from 13 mi. E San Antonio de las Alazanas, 9950 ft., July 6, 1955.

Miller (1955a:165) indicated that the Broad-tailed Hummingbird was fairly common in the Sierra del Carmen. According to Burleigh and Lowery (1942:191) this species is not uncommon in the pine woods bordering the summit of Diamante Pa.s.s; they saw the bird between 4900 and 10,000 feet.

*_Eugenes fulgens fulgens_ Boucard.--Miller (1955a:165) obtained a male Rivoli's Hummingbird on Loomis Peak, 8800 feet, on April 11 in the Sierra del Carmen.

**_Lamp.o.r.nis clemenciae clemenciae_ (Lesson).--_Specimens examined:_ total 2: [Male] 31036 from 26 mi. W Santa Teresa, 7050 ft., April 5, 1952; and [Female] 32668 from 13 mi. E San Antonio de las Alazanas, 9950 ft., July 6, 1955.

The Blue-throated Hummingbird occurs between 5000 and 9950 feet in Coahuila. Miller (1955a:165) remarked that it was found in canyon bottoms, "whether at 7500 feet among the rocky slopes, oaks, and white pines ... or at 5000 feet in the madrone, maples, elms, and ba.s.swoods...." No. 32668, was obtained in a Douglas fir-pine-aspen a.s.sociation at 9950 feet.

[_Amazilia yucatanensis chalconota_ Oberholser.--The Buff-bellied Hummingbird seems to be uncommon in Coahuila. Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1950:172) and the AOU Check-list Committee (1957:306) stated that this hummingbird occurs in Coahuila.]

_Megaceryle alcyon alcyon_ (Linnaeus).--Miller (1955a:165) saw a Belted Kingfisher at Carb.o.n.e.ras Canyon in the Sierra del Carmen. Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:15) stated that one specimen of _M.

a. alcyon_ was obtained in Coahuila on November 14.

**_Chloroceryle americana hachisukai_ (Laubmann).--_Specimens examined:_ total 2: [Female] 32053 from 12 mi. N, 12 mi. W Jimenez, June 19, 1952; and [Female] 31038 from 8 mi. N, 4 mi. W Muzquiz, 1800 ft., March 31, 1952.

The Green Kingfisher has been recorded in Coahuila as far south as 8 mi. N and 4 mi. W Muzquiz. The forehead of No. 31038, when compared with typical representatives of _C. a. hachisukai_, is not extensively streaked with white, nor are all the coverts conspicuously spotted with white, yet it clearly has more extensive white markings than typical representatives of _C. a. septentrionalis_. This specimen from 8 mi. N and 4 mi. W Muzquiz probably is intermediate between _hachisukai_ and _septentrionalis_. Miller (1955a:165) stated that Marsh took a specimen at Tanque de los Melones on La Bavia Ranch east of Fresno Mesa in the Sierra del Carmen that is a typical _C. a. hachisukai_.

_Colaptes cafer collaris_ Vigors.--Ridgway (1914:34) listed this subspecies of the Red-shafted Flicker from Saltillo and Agua Nueva.

*_Colaptes cafer na.n.u.s_ Griscom.--_Specimens examined:_ total 3: [Female] 31463 from Sierra del Pino (=5 mi. W, 3 mi. S Acebuches), May 13, 1954, weight, 108 gms.; and [Male] 31651 and [Female] 31652 from the north foot of Sierra Guadalupe (=10 mi. S, 5 mi. W General Cepeda), 6500 ft., April 21, 1953.

In suitable habitats in Coahuila the Red-shafted Flicker is common.

Miller (1955a:165-166) stated that _C. c. na.n.u.s_ was common at Corte Madera Canyon, Boquillas Canyon, and Carb.o.n.e.ras Canyon in the Sierra del Carmen and recorded a specimen also from Sierra de Jardin on August 7. Burleigh and Lowery (1942:192) recorded _C. c. na.n.u.s_ from Diamante Pa.s.s and Saltillo. Sutton and Burleigh (1939a:31) stated that the Red-shafted Flickers, obtained 5 mi. E La Rosa and at Diamante Pa.s.s, may be intermediate between _C. c. collaris_ (then called _C. c.

chihuahuae_) and _C. c. na.n.u.s_. Nesting of the Red-shafted Flicker in Coahuila was reported by Miller (1955a:165) and Burleigh and Lowery (1942:192). Hardy saw Red-shafted Flickers 13 mi. E San Antonio de las Alazanas on July 6, 1955.

*_Centurus aurifrons aurifrons_ (Wagler).--_Specimens examined:_ total 6: [Male] 32054 from 12 mi. N, 12 mi. W Jimenez, 850 ft., June 19, 1952; [Female] [Female] 32055-32057 from 2 mi. W Jimenez, 850 ft., June 20, 1952; [Female] 31039 from 8 mi. N, 4 mi. W Muzquiz, 1800 ft., April 1, 1952; and [Male] 33150 (skeleton only) from Parras, July 4, 1955.

The Golden-fronted Woodp.e.c.k.e.r occurs throughout Coahuila, but uncommonly in the western part. Wetmore (1948:185-186) examined a series of Golden-fronted Woodp.e.c.k.e.rs that showed a definite cline in dorsal coloration from north-central Texas to Jalisco, Michoacan, and Hidalgo in south-central Mexico. He (_loc. cit._) stated that "the extremes are easily separable, but in southern and southwestern Texas and in northeastern Mexico the two kinds [_C. a. aurifrons_ and _C. a.

incanescens_] ... merge so gradually that over a broad area the whole population is intermediate, making decisions as to any sharply drawn dividing line difficult and in part arbitrary." _C. a. incanescens_, according to Wetmore, occurs in western and central Texas south to northeastern Chihuahua and northern Coahuila whereas _C. a. aurifrons_ occurs in north-central Coahuila (Monclova) and southern Texas south to Jalisco, Michoacan, Hidalgo, and central Tamaulipas.

The specimens that I have examined from Coahuila are variably intermediate between the subspecies _aurifrons_ and _incanescens_. The dark and white cross-bars on the back of No. 31039 are nearly equal (dark bands wider in _aurifrons_; white bands wider in _incanescens_); the rump and upper tail coverts are more or less mixed with black as in _aurifrons_. The dark cross-bars on the backs of Nos. 32054-32057 are slightly larger than the white cross-bars; the rump and upper tail coverts of these specimens are somewhat mixed with black.

*_Centurus aurifrons incanescens_ Todd.--This subspecies of the Golden-fronted Woodp.e.c.k.e.r is listed by Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:34) from "... northern Coahuila (upper Rio Grande valley)."

Burleigh and Lowery (1942:192) stated that the Golden-fronted Woodp.e.c.k.e.r "apparently avoids the mountain slopes, but was found to be not uncommon on the arid plateau about Saltillo." Findley saw Golden-fronted Woodp.e.c.k.e.rs 2 mi. W Jimenez, 850 feet, on June 19, 1952; and 2 mi. S and 3 mi. E San Juan de Sabinas on June 22, 1952. Cory (1919:424) listed the Golden-fronted Woodp.e.c.k.e.r from Sabinas. Nos.

32055-32057 are juveniles, and thus doc.u.ment breeding by this woodp.e.c.k.e.r in Coahuila.

*_Melanerpes formicivorus formicivorus_ (Swainson).--_Specimens examined:_ total 5: [Male] 31040 (skeleton only) from Fortin (=33 mi.

N, 8 mi. W San Geronimo), 3300 ft., March 28, 1952; [Male] 29423 and [Female] 29424 from Club Sierra del Carmen (=2 mi. N, 6 mi. W Piedra Blanca), 4950 ft., April 8, 1950; [Female] 31041 (skeleton only) from 26 mi. W Santa Teresa, 7050 ft., April 5, 1952; and [Female] 31668 from Sierra Guadalupe, Canon d. Meco (=10 mi. S General Cepeda), 6500 ft., April 23, 1953.

The Acorn Woodp.e.c.k.e.r in Coahuila is common in the oak and pine-oak belts, from 4950 to 8000 feet. Miller (1955a:166) stated that the Acorn Woodp.e.c.k.e.r in the Sierra del Carmen was an abundant and conspicuous bird throughout the oak and pine-oak belts, from 5000 to 8000 feet.

d.i.c.kerman saw two Acorn Woodp.e.c.k.e.rs in the Sierra de la Madera on December 13, 1953, and four 20 mi. S Ocampo, 6000 feet, on April 4, 1954. Breeding of _M. f. formicivorus_ was reported by Miller (_loc.

cit._) who took females nearly ready to begin laying; one of our specimens (No. 29423) had enlarged testes (11 mm.).

_Sphyrapicus varius varius_ (Linnaeus).--_Specimen examined:_ one, [Female] 31649, from the north foot of Sierra Guadalupe (=10 mi. S, 5 mi. W General Cepeda), 6400 ft., April 19, 1953.

Miller (1955a:166) reported this Yellow-bellied Sapsucker as a winter visitant or migrant in the Sierra del Carmen. Burleigh and Lowery (1942:192) took a female _S. v. varius_ at the summit of Diamante Pa.s.s on April 14. Ridgway (1914:275) listed _S. v. varius_ from Sierra de Guadalupe.

_Sphyrapicus varius nuchalis_ Baird.--Miller (1955a:166) reported this Yellow-bellied Sapsucker as "indeed common" in the Sierra del Carmen, and indicated that both _S. v. nuchalis_ and _S. v. varius_ were "found only at the upper levels in the pine-oak formation and usually in relatively dense clumps of trees in the canyon bottoms." Ridgway (1914:280) listed _C. v. nuchalis_ from Rio Sabinas.

**_Dendrocopos villosus icastus_ (Oberholser).--Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:39) remarked that this subspecies of the Hairy Woodp.e.c.k.e.r occurs, in northwestern Mexico, from eastern Sonora, Jalisco, Chihuahua, Durango, Zacatecas to southern Coahuila. Ridgway (1914:222) stated that _D. v. icastus_ occurs in Coahuila at Carneros and Sierra de Guadalupe, the former being the easternmost known locality for the subspecies.

**_Dendrocopos villosus intermedius_ (Nelson).--_Specimens examined:_ total 2: [Male] 32701 from 13 mi. E San Antonio de las Alazanas, 9950 ft., July 6, 1955; and [Female] 31604 from 2 mi. E Mesa de Tablas, 8500 ft., January 15, 1954.

In northeastern Mexico this subspecies, according to Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:39), occurs in Guanajuato, San Luis Potosi, Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas. Nos. 31604 and 32701 represent the first records of _D. v. intermedius_ from Coahuila.

*_Dendrocopos scalaris cactophilus_ (Oberholser).--_Specimens examined:_ total 2: [Female] 31042 from 7 mi. S, 2 mi. E Boquillas, 800 ft., March 1, 1952; and [Female] 31043 from 10 mi. S, 5 mi. E Boquillas, 1500 ft., March 3, 1952.

These specimens of the Ladder-backed Woodp.e.c.k.e.r show signs of intergradation with _D. s. symplectus_. Both specimens are pale enough above for _D. s. symplectus_, but the wing and the tail of each (wing, 102, 103 mm.; tail, 60, 65 mm.) are too long for _symplectus_. This suggestion of intergradation is not unexpected because _symplectus_ occurs in northeastern Coahuila and _cactophilus_ in the Chisos Mountains of Texas. Miller (1955a:166) also obtained one female _D. s.

cactophilus_ from the Sierra del Carmen that suggested intergradation with _symplectus_.

Miller (_loc. cit._) wrote that _D. c. cactophilus_ was found chiefly in the oaks and was common in the lower oak belt at 5000 feet. The upper limit of the range of the Ladder-backed Woodp.e.c.k.e.r, according to Miller, is 6800 feet. He reported the species as breeding in the Sierra del Carmen.

Miller (1955b:317) took a hybrid woodp.e.c.k.e.r representing a cross between _Dendrocopos villosus_ and _Dendrocopos scalaris_ in the Sierra del Carmen, where, although Ladder-backed Woodp.e.c.k.e.rs were common, he found no Hairy Woodp.e.c.k.e.rs.

**_Dendrocopos scalaris symplectus_ (Oberholser).--_Specimens examined:_ total 2: [Male] 32058 from 2 mi. W Jimenez, June 20, 1952; and [Male] 31667 from Sierra Guadalupe, Domingo Canyon (=10 mi. S, 14 mi. W General Cepeda), 6700 ft., April 18, 1953.

This Ladder-backed Woodp.e.c.k.e.r, according to the AOU Check-list Committee (1957:327) and Oberholser (1912:156), occurs in Texas (east of Pecos), northeastern Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas. The area of intergradation of _D. s. symplectus_ and _giraudi_ is in southeastern Coahuila. The dark smoky underparts and the equal size of the white and black bars of the upper parts of No. 31667 suggest intergradation with _D. s. giraudi_. Yet, the size of the wing indicates that this specimen is closer to _D. s. symplectus_. No. 32058 has characters of typical representatives of _D. s. symplectus_.

Burleigh and Lowery (1942:193) reported _D. s. symplectus_ "in the desert country west of Saltillo." Ridgway (1914:257) listed the Ladder-backed Woodp.e.c.k.e.r from Sabinas. Cory (1919:494) listed _D. s.

symplectus_ from Pabinas (=Sabinas?).

**_Dendrocopos scalaris giraudi_ (Stone).--_Specimen examined:_ one, [Male] 34623, from 12 mi. N, 10 mi. E Parras, 3850 ft., July 12, 1953, weight, 35 gms.

Ridgway (1914:259) reported that _D. s. giraudi_ (then called _Dryobates scalaris bairdi_) has been recorded from La Ventura, Carneros, and Jaral. Oberholser (1912:159) indicated that the subspecies _giraudi_ occurs north to Jaral in southern Coahuila, east to La Ventura in southeastern Coahuila, and south through central Mexico. The present specimen is darker ventrally than specimens of either _D. s. cactophilus_ or _D. s. symplectus_, and on its upper surface the black bars are wider than the white. The specimen is in worn plumage, but nevertheless suggests intergradation with _D. s.

symplectus_.

_Platypsaris aglaiae albiventris_ (Lawrence).--The Rose-throated Becard, if it occurs in Coahuila at all, is rare in the State. Without giving any specific locality, Sclater (1857:74) described _Pachyrhamphus aglaiae_ from Coahuila. h.e.l.lmayr (1929:202) considered Sclater's record as representing _Platypsaris aglaiae albiventris_ (Lawrence).

*_Tyrannus vociferans vociferans_ (Swainson).--_Specimens examined:_ total 2: [Male] 32064 from 7 mi. S, 4 mi. E Bella Union, 7200 ft., June 24, 1952; and [Female] 31650 from the north foot of Sierra Guadalupe (=10 mi. S, 5 mi. W General Cepeda), 6400 ft., April 15, 1953.

The small number of records of Ca.s.sin's Kingbird in Coahuila is surprising, for I would expect the species in most areas of the State between 6000 and 7000 feet. All Coahuilan records are from the southeastern part of the State. Burleigh and Lowery (1942:193) found it "on infrequent occasions in the arid country near Saltillo." Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:71) reported that _T. v.

vociferans_ nested in Coahuila on July 7. The size of the testes (157 mm.) of our specimen from near Bella Union also indicates breeding.

**_Muscivora forficata_ (Gmelin).--_Specimen examined:_ one, [Female]

32063, from 12 mi. N, 12 mi. W Jimenez, 850 ft., June 19, 1952.

The status of the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in Coahuila is uncertain.

Although the condition of the gonads of No. 32063 was not recorded by the collector, the late date (June 19) on which is was obtained suggests that this female was a resident in northeastern Coahuila.

Findley saw a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 2 mi. S and 11 mi. E Nava, 810 feet, on June 15, 1952. d.i.c.kerman saw one 4 mi. N San Isidro on May 10, 1954. Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:69) recorded this flycatcher from Sabinas on April 12. No other records of _Muscivora forficata_ in Coahuila have come to my attention, but the species probably occurs in the State in migration.

*_Myiarchus crinitus crinitus_ (Linnaeus).--_Specimens examined:_ total 3: [Female] 32065 from 12 mi. N, 12 mi. W Jimenez, 850 ft., June 19, 1952; and [Male] 32066 and [Female] 32067 from 2 mi. W Jimenez, 850 ft., June 20, 1952.

The Great Crested Flycatcher seems to be rare in Coahuila. Nos.

32065-32067 are the first specimens that I know of from Coahuila. Bangs (1898:179-180) said that the subspecies _crinitus_ has an "enormous swollen bill" (exposed culmen of male, 20 mm.; breadth of bill at middle of nostril, 10.3 mm.) whereas _M. c. boreus_ has a "small slender bill" (exposed culmen of male, 18.6 mm.; breadth of bill at middle of nostril, 8.6 mm.). No. 32066 has a large bill (exposed culmen, 21 mm.; breadth of bill at middle of nostril, 10 mm.). Bangs (_loc. cit._) did not give any measurements for females of _M. c.

crinitus_ or _boreus_. Nevertheless, I suspect that Nos. 32065 and 32067 represent _crinitus_ (No. 32065: exposed culmen, 19 mm.; breadth of bill at middle of nostril, 9 mm.; No. 32067: exposed culmen, 20 mm.; breadth of bill at middle of nostril, 9.5 mm.). The size of the testes (9 mm. long) of No. 32066 and the dates (June 19 and 20) on which the specimens were collected indicate breeding by this species in the State.

*_Myiarchus tyrannulus cooperi_ Baird.--_Specimens examined:_ total 2: [Male] 32068 and [Female] 32069 from 2 mi. S, 3 mi. E San Juan de Sabinas, 1160 ft., June 22, 1952, measurements: wing, 102, 97 mm.; tail, 93, 90 mm.

Wied's Crested Flycatcher is not common in Coahuila. Eastern Coahuila represents the eastern limit of the range of _M. t. cooperi_.