Birds from Coahuila, Mexico

by Emil K. Urban

**Chloroceryle americana hachisukai (Laubmann).—Specimens examined: total 2: ♀ 32053 from 12 mi. N, 12 mi. W Jiménez, June 19, 1952; and ♀ 31038 from 8 mi. N, 4 mi. W Múzquiz, 1800 ft., March 31, 1952.

The Green Kingfisher has been recorded in Coahuila as far south as 8 mi. N and 4 mi. W Múzquiz. 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 Múzquiz 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 nanus Griscom.—Specimens examined: total 3: ♀ 31463 from Sierra del Pino (=5 mi. W, 3 mi. S Acebuches), May 13, 1954, weight, 108 gms.; and ♂ 31651 and ♀ 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. nanus was common at Corte Madera Canyon, Boquillas Canyon, and Carboneras Canyon in the Sierra del Carmen and recorded a specimen also from Sierra de Jardín on August 7. Burleigh and Lowery (1942:192) recorded C. c. nanus from Diamante Pass and Saltillo. Sutton and Burleigh (1939a:31) stated that the Red-shafted Flickers, obtained 5 mi. E La Rosa and at Diamante Pass, may be intermediate between C. c. collaris (then called C. c. chihuahuae) and C. c. nanus. 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: ♂ 32054 from 12 mi. N, 12 mi. W Jiménez, 850 ft., June 19, 1952; ♀ ♀ 32055-32057 from 2 mi. W Jiménez, 850 ft., June 20, 1952; ♀ 31039 from 8 mi. N, 4 mi. W Múzquiz, 1800 ft., April 1, 1952; and ♂ 33150 (skeleton only) from Parras, July 4, 1955.

The Golden-fronted Woodpecker occurs throughout Coahuila, but uncommonly in the western part. Wetmore (1948:185-186) examined a series of Golden-fronted Woodpeckers that showed a definite cline in dorsal coloration from north-central Texas to Jalisco, Michoacán, and Hidalgo in south-central México. 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, Michoacán, 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 Woodpecker is listed by Miller, Friedmann, Griscom, and Moore (1957:34) from "... northern Coahuila (upper Río Grande valley)." Burleigh and Lowery (1942:192) stated that the Golden-fronted Woodpecker "apparently avoids the mountain slopes, but was found to be not uncommon on the arid plateau about Saltillo." Findley saw Golden-fronted Woodpeckers 2 mi. W Jiménez, 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 Woodpecker from Sabinas. Nos. 32055-32057 are juveniles, and thus document breeding by this woodpecker in Coahuila.

*Melanerpes formicivorus formicivorus (Swainson).—Specimens examined: total 5: ♂ 31040 (skeleton only) from Fortín (=33 mi. N, 8 mi. W San Gerónimo), 3300 ft., March 28, 1952; ♂ 29423 and ♀ 29424 from Club Sierra del Carmen (=2 mi. N, 6 mi. W Piedra Blanca), 4950 ft., April 8, 1950; ♀ 31041 (skeleton only) from 26 mi. W Santa Teresa, 7050 ft., April 5, 1952; and ♀ 31668 from Sierra Guadalupe, Cañon d. Meco (=10 mi. S General Cepeda), 6500 ft., April 23, 1953.