Nests are placed about 13 feet from the ground (ranging from two to 30 feet) in elm, ornamental conifers, fruit trees, cottonwood, mulberry, walnut, hackberry, oak, ash, maple, osage orange, and coffeeberry. Robins rarely nest in manmade structures, such as on rafters in sheds and barns, on bridge stringers, and, exceptionally, on electrical utility pole installations.
Wood Thrush: Hylocichla mustelina (Gmelin).—This is an uncommon summer resident in eastern Kansas, presently absent from the State west of stations in Cloud and Barber counties. Preferred habitat is found in understory of forest and woodland. Wood Thrushes appear to have nested in small numbers as far west as Oberlin, Decatur County (Wolfe, 1961), some 50 years ago, but have since disappeared from such places, probably as a result of progressive modification of watershed and riparian timber by man. First dates of arrival in spring are from April 19 to May 20 (the median is May 9), and departure southward is in the period September 3 to October 1 (the median is September 15).
Breeding schedule.—Thirty-eight records of breeding fall in the period May 11 to August 10 ([Fig. 7]); the modal date of egg-laying is June 5 for first clutches. Fifty-five per cent of all eggs are laid between May 21 and June 10.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 3 eggs (3.4, 3-4; 9).
Nests are placed about 11 feet high in elm, dogwood, willow, linden, and oak.
Eastern Bluebird: Sialia sialis sialis (Linnaeus).—This locally common resident and summer resident in eastern Kansas, is only casual west of Comanche County, in open parkland and woodland edge.
Breeding schedule.—Fifty-four records of breeding span the period April 1 to July 20 ([Fig. 7]); the modal date for first clutches is April 25 and for second clutches is June 5.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 5 eggs (4.9, 4-6; 15).
Nests are placed in cavities about eight feet high in trees (elm, box elder, fruit trees, willow, and ash), and about four feet high in stumps, fence posts, and nestboxes placed by man.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher: Polioptila caerulea caerulea (Linnaeus).—This summer resident is common in eastern Kansas in brushy woodland, edge, and second growth. Specimens taken in the breeding season and nesting records come from east of stations in Riley and Cowley counties, but there is a breeding specimen from Oklahoma just south of Harper County, Kansas. The species is present from March 30 to September 18.