Birds from Coahuila, Mexico

by Emil K. Urban

[Bucephala albeola (Linnaeus).—Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1950:44) listed the Bufflehead from the State.]

*Cathartes aura aura (Linnaeus).—Specimen examined: one, ♂ 31017 (skeleton only), from 4 mi. W Hacienda La Mariposa, 2300 ft., March 26, 1952.

Miller (1955a:161) took a female Turkey Vulture, which was in breeding condition, in the Sierra del Carmen on April 17 and stated that "until more statistics are available on breeding birds of northern Coahuila, they must be considered C. a. aura...." Amadon and Phillips (1947:577) took a Turkey Vulture at Las Delicias which represented C. a. aura. Burleigh and Lowery (1942:188) stated that this species was not uncommon, and was noted each day soaring overhead both in the valleys and over the tops of the ridges of southeastern Coahuila.

Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1950:47) listed C. a. teter from Coahuila. Miller (1955a:161) remarked that the subspecies aura and teter might intergrade in the Sierra del Carmen. At the present time it is possible to say only that teter is present in Coahuila in migrant and wintering populations, but the extent to which teter remains in northeastern México is undetermined. However, all indications point to this area as being the region where aura and teter intergrade.

**Coragyps atratus (Bechstein).—The Black Vulture is locally common throughout most of eastern Coahuila but is uncommon in the western part of the State. Sutton and Burleigh (1939a:25) noted the Black Vulture "regularly east of Saltillo in low country," but did not see Black Vultures at San Pedro or elsewhere in southwestern Coahuila. Burleigh and Lowery (1942:188) stated that "the Black Vulture apparently avoids to a large extent the higher altitudes, and only rarely was it observed at all, even about Saltillo." Olmstead saw Black Vultures 8 mi. N and 4 mi. W Múzquiz, 1800 feet, on March 31, 1952, and Dickerman observed a flock at La Gacha (=Rancho La Coucha), 1600 feet, on December 2, 1953.

**Accipiter gentilis (Linnaeus).—On July 6, 1955, Hardy saw a Goshawk 13 mi. E San Antonio de las Alazanas; this is the first record of occurrence of this species from northeastern México.

*Accipiter striatus velox (Wilson).—Specimen examined: one, ♀ 31018, from along the Río Grande (=Boquillas), 700 ft., March 10, 1952, measurements: wing, 207 mm.; tail, 171 mm.; tarsus, 53 mm.; culmen, 12 mm.

Our specimen of the Sharp-shinned Hawk is referred to velox on the basis of the reddish, maculated breast, sides, and thighs. The collector's field notes recorded the iris as blood-red. Marsh and Stevenson (1938:286) thought that this subspecies was resident in the pine and Douglas-fir forest of upper Vivoras Canyon of the Sierra del Carmen at 8500 feet, where Marsh observed a family group including three immature birds. Friedmann (1950:196) indicated that the immature male obtained by Marsh and Stevenson is A. s. suttoni; Miller (1955a:161), nevertheless, remarked that this male has well barred feathers and thus is velox. Miller (loc. cit.) obtained also an adult male of A. s. velox in the Sierra del Carmen at 7000 feet on April 18.

**Accipiter striatus suttoni van Rossem.—Specimen examined: one, ♂ 32626, from 13 mi. E San Antonio, 9950 ft., July 6, 1955, measurements: wing, 186 mm.; tail, 144 mm.; tarsus, 49 mm.; culmen, 11 mm.; weight, 103 gms.

The recording of A. s. suttoni in Coahuila by Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1950:52), seems to have been based on their knowledge of the specimen earlier mentioned by Friedmann (1950:196) and later identified by Miller (1955a:161) as A. s. velox. Therefore the KU specimen seems to be the first record of A. s. suttoni in Coahuila. The size of its testes (right, 2.5×4 mm.; left, 3×4 mm.) does not indicate breeding; however, the time of the year in which it was obtained suggests that it may have been a resident.