Blue Grosbeak in the Badlands of South Dakota
Blue Grosbeak in the Badlands of South Dakota.--In the Badlands National Monument in South Dakota on the morning of July 20, 1950, a male Blue Grosbeak (Gzriraca CWdea) W~-Y seen feeding on a tiny level stretch of nearly barren ground between two peaks high above Cedar Pass Lodge. The bird was quite unconcerned and allowed us to observe him closely for several minutes. The location was along the road in the eastern end of the Badlands nearly on the line between Pennington and Jackson counties, probably in the latter county.
Although the 1931 A. 0. U. Check-list does not list South Dakota in the range of the Blue Grosbeak, Pettingill and Dana (Auk, 60, 1943:441-444) have recently reported three males observed along the White River near Stamford on June 3, 1942, and have summarized other published records. These are chiefly along the Missouri River or in the counties just west of this river along the Nebraska border of South Dakota. The records that can be accurately located are: The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in Shannon County (Tullsen, Condor, 13, 1911:89-104) ; Yankton County (Youngworth, Wilson Bull., 44, 1932 :43) ; and Tripp County, also in the Pine Ridge country (Visher, Auk, 30, 1913: 280). Over and Thorns (Birds of South Dakota, 1921:llS) write concerning the Blue Grosbeak: “Known to nest along the Missouri River as far north as Pierre,” but they do not cite any particular records. The present record for the Badlands is in line with the other records, although it is slightly more northwestern. It is of particular interest because the bird was in an area relatively destitute of plant and animal life. We had no way of ascertaining whether the bird was breeding nearby or had wandered into the area.-HARvEY B. LOVELL, Biology Department, University of Louisville, Kentucky, April 18,195l.
