At dusk on April 10, 1942, in company with Burdick and Ray, I encountered a small flock of nighthawks feeding over the marsh near the beach a few miles from Cameron. Darkness came before more than two could be collected, but both of these proved to be the Texas Nighthawk, a species not heretofore recorded from Louisiana. On the following day a nighthawk was found perched in a tree near the marsh where the birds had been seen the previous evening. It was collected and likewise proved to be texensis.
Muscivora forficata (Gmelin), Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
The nesting of this species in northwestern Louisiana has been indicated for some time, especially after Wallace noted it at Lucas, in Caddo Parish, on June 16 and July 21, 1942. However, the first authentic breeding record for the state was furnished by a freshly built nest found by Edgar W. Fullilove and myself several miles below Bossier, on July 3, 1945. At least two pairs were found there in a large cotton field in which an occasional pecan tree had been left standing. The nest was in one of these trees, about 25 feet from the ground and far out on the end of a limb. Fullilove informed me that to his knowledge the species had nested in this field for at least ten years and that on numerous previous occasions he had seen both nests and young.
Myiarchus cinerascens cinerascens (Lawrence), Ash-throated Flycatcher
The first record of the occurrence of this species in Louisiana is that of a male collected by Howell at University, on March 20, 1943. On December 23, 1945, I shot a second specimen, a female, on the bank of False River opposite New Roads. When found, both birds were actively pursuing insects and on being skinned, both were found to be very fat.
Empidonax flaviventris (Baird and Baird), Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Oberholser (op. cit., 394) listed this species as a rare autumn transient, citing one definite Louisiana record for that season. On the contrary, the species is quite regular in fall. Six specimens have been collected at University, one each on September 12, 17, 18, and 28, 1940, October 22, 1942, and September 26, 1943 (Lowery and Wallace). Two others have been taken at Cameron, on October 7, 1943 (Burleigh), and September 2, 1944 (Lowery). There are numerous sight records, but since the species cannot be distinguished with certainty in the field from extremely yellow-plumaged Acadian Flycatchers, none of these is recorded.
Empidonax traillii traillii (Audubon), Alder Flycatcher
This species long has been regarded as an uncommon transient in Louisiana in both spring and fall. However, recent field work has shown the bird to occur regularly and sometimes abundantly in autumnal migration. Forty-one specimens have been collected at University on dates ranging from August 17 to October 5 (Lowery, et al.). Specimens taken by Burleigh at New Orleans on September 27, 1941, and August 23, 1943, are in the Louisiana State University Museum.