Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 3 or 4 eggs.
Nests are placed in deciduous trees, in forks and crotches six to 30 feet high.
Black-headed Grosbeak: Pheucticus mehnocephalus melanocephalus (Swainson).—This summer resident is common in western Kansas, chiefly along streams. Individuals referable to this species by sight records alone breed in fair numbers as far east as Cloud and Sedgwick counties, but to the east of these stations numbers are reduced, partly as a result of presumed competition with the Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Hybrids between these two grosbeaks are regularly produced. The easternmost record of breeding by this species is at St. Mary's, Pottawatomie County, where a male was seen as probably mated with a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Temporal occurrence is indicated in [Table 19].
Breeding schedule.—Sixteen records of breeding span the period May 11 to July 10; the modal date for egg-laying is June 5.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 4 eggs (3.7, 3-4; 4). Nests are placed about 12 feet high in a variety of deciduous trees.
Blue Grosbeak: Guiraca caerulea (Linnaeus).—This is a common to uncommon summer resident in most of Kansas, in brushland and streamside thickets. G. c. caerulea (Linnaeus) breeds in the east, east of stations in Douglas, Greenwood, and Cowley counties, and G. c. interfusa Dwight and Griscom breeds in the west, west of stations in Cloud, Stafford, and Clark counties; a broad zone of intergradation exists between the two named populations. Temporal occurrence is indicated in [Table 19].
Breeding schedule.—Seven records of breeding span the period May 21 to June 30; the modal date of laying seems to be in late May or early June.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 4 eggs.
Nests are placed from three to 30 feet high in a variety of deciduous plants.
Table 19.—Occurrence in Time of Summer Resident Cardinal Grosbeaks in Kansas