Part 22

=Black-capped Chickadee=: Parus atricapillus Linnaeus.--This resident is common north of the southernmost tier of counties, in forested and wooded areas. P. a. atricapillus Linnaeus occurs chiefly east of the 98th meridian, and P. a. septentrionalis Harris occurs west of this; a broad zone of intergradation exists between these two subspecies. Breeding schedule.--Fifty-one records of breeding span the period March 21 to June 10 (Fig. 7); the modal date for laying is April 15, and 64 per cent of all eggs are laid between April 11 and 30.

Number of eggs.--Clutch-size is 5 eggs (5.4, 4-7; 10).

Nests are placed in cavities about ten feet high (ranging from four to 20 feet) in willow, elm, cottonwood, honey locust, apricot, or nestboxes placed by man.

=Carolina Chickadee=: Parus carolinensis atricapilloides Lunk.--This resident is common in the southernmost tier of counties, from Comanche County east, in forest and woodland edge. Actual records of breeding are from Barber and Montgomery counties.

Breeding schedule.--There are no data on breeding of this species in Kansas.

Number of eggs.--Clutch-size is about 5 eggs.

Nests are placed in cavities of trees.

=Tufted Titmouse=: Paras bicolor Linnaeus.--This resident is common in the eastern half of Kansas, in woodlands. Specimens taken in the breeding season and nesting records come from east of a line running through Cloud, Harvey, and Sumner counties, and the species probably breeds in Barber County.

Breeding schedule.--Twenty-two records of breeding span the period March 21 to June 10 (Fig. 7); the modal date for laying is April 25, and 54 per cent of all clutches are laid in the period April 11 to 30.

Number of eggs.--Clutch-size is 4 to 5 eggs (4.5; 6).

Nests are placed in cavities about 12 feet high (ranging from three to 30 feet) in elm, oak, cottonwood, hackberry, redbud, osage orange, and nestboxes placed by man.

=White-breasted Nuthatch=: Sitta carolinensis Latham.--This resident in eastern Kansas, in well-developed woodland, is uncommon. S. c. cookei Oberholser occurs east of a line running through Douglas and Cherokee counties, on the basis of specimens taken in the breeding season and actual nesting records, and S. c. carolinensis Latham occurs in Montgomery and Labette counties. S. c. nelsoni Mearns has been recorded in Morton County but probably does not breed there.

Breeding schedule.--Eggs are laid in March and April; young have been recorded being fed by parents throughout May.

Number of eggs.--Clutch-size is between 5 and 10 eggs.

Nests are placed in cavities about 30 feet high in elm and sycamore.

=House Wren=: Troglodytes aedon parkmanii Audubon.--This summer resident is common in the east and uncommon in the west. Preferred habitat is in woodland, brushland, and urban parkland. House Wrens arrive in eastern Kansas in the period April 3 to 27 (the median is April 19), and are last seen in autumn in the period September 19 to October 13 (the median is September 30).

Breeding schedule.--The 116 records of breeding span the period April 11 to July 31 (Fig. 7); the modal date of laying is May 20. About 45 per cent of all clutches are laid in the period May 11 to 31.

Number of eggs.--Clutch-size is 7 eggs (5.8, 3-7; 20). Clutches laid in May average 6.1 eggs (4-7; 14); those laid in June and July average 5.0 eggs (3-7; 6).

Nests are placed in cavities about ten feet high (ranging from two to 50 feet) in cottonwood, elm, willow, and a wide variety of structures, mostly nestboxes, built by man.

=Bewick Wren=: Thryomanes bewickii Audubon.--This wren is an uncommon resident in Kansas, except for the northeastern quarter, in woodland understory and brushland. T. b. bewickii Audubon occurs north and east of stations in Riley, Pottawatomie, Douglas, and Linn counties, and T. b. cryptus Oberholser is found south of stations in Greeley, Stafford, and Linn counties; a zone of intergradation occurs between the two named populations. The species occupies marginal habitat in most of Kansas and periodically is reduced in numbers by severe winters.

Breeding schedule.--Twenty-two records of breeding span the period March 21 to July 10 (Fig. 7); the modal date for first clutches is April 15 and for second clutches June 15.

Number of eggs.--Clutch-size is 5 eggs (5.5, 5-7; 12).

Nests are placed in crevices about five feet high (ranging from zero to nine feet) in trees (oak, cherry, and pear), boulders, and a wide variety of structures, some of them nestboxes, built by man; appropriation and modification of nests of Barn Swallows is known to occur.

=Carolina Wren=: Thryothorus ludovicianus ludovicianus Latham.--This common resident of southeastern Kansas in woodland understory and brushland is uncommon in the northeastern and south-central sectors. Stations of breeding all fall east of a line running through Doniphan, Riley, and western Reno counties. North and west of southeastern Kansas the Carolina Wren is in marginal habitat and periodically is reduced in numbers by severe winters.

Breeding schedule.--Fourteen records of breeding span the period April 11 to August 10; the modal date for laying is April 15, to judge only from the present sample. The species probably breeds also in late March and early April.

Number of eggs.--Clutch-size is 4 eggs (4.2, 3-8; 9).

Nests are placed near the ground in stumps, and a wide variety of structures built by man, or in crevices in earthen banks.

=Long-billed Marsh Wren=: Telmatodytes palustris dissaeptus (Bangs).--This is an uncommon summer resident in eastern Kansas in and around marshes. Presumably breeding individuals occur east of stations in Doniphan, Shawnee, and Sedgwick counties, but actual records of breeding come only from Doniphan County (Linsdale, 1928:505). First dates of arrival in spring run from April 19 to 29 (the median is April 22), and dates of last autumnal occurrence are from September 26 to October 31 (the median is October 8).