No. 267, _P. truei_, juvenile. This male ran into a fallen juniper log
40 feet southwest of station P7a and then disappeared into a hole
leading under an adjacent rock. Dissection of the log revealed many
chewed juniper seeds inside and beneath the log, but no nest. I did not
overturn the large rock or excavate under it.
No. 268, _P. truei_, adult. This pregnant and lactating female ran into
a hollow branch of a partly-dead juniper tree 10 feet south of station
O7d. The limb and base of the tree were hollow, and there were large
numbers of chewed juniper seeds nearby. Because of time limitations, the
branch was not dissected.
No. 74, _P. maniculatus_, juvenile. This female ran into a small
circular hole in the ground 13 feet north of station J3a. Excavation
revealed that this hole led into the abandoned tunnel of a pocket gopher
(_Thomomys bottae_). The tunnel was followed for about four feet, but no
nest was found and the tunnel led under a thicket of oak brush which
made further excavation impractical (Fig. 15).
No. 247, _P. maniculatus_, adult. This male was followed to a large nest
situated at the base of a stump and under a juniper log lying beside the
stump, five feet from station I2c. This large nest was built on the
ground and was constructed of grasses (_Poa fendleriana_, _Stipa
comata_, and _Koeleria cristata_), and contained a few leaves of Gambel
oak. It was the largest nest found. Chewed pinyon nuts were in the nest.
(Fig. 15).
No. 276, _P. maniculatus_, juvenile. This male ran into a small hole at
the base of a dead juniper tree 40 feet north of station O2c. It would
have been necessary to cut the tree down to uncover the nest, and this
was not deemed to be worthwhile.
The preceding accounts indicate that, in Mesa Verde, nests of _P. truei_
usually are associated with hollow juniper logs or branches. In one
instance a nest of _P. truei_ was found on the ground, under a rock.
Shredded juniper bark, and, in one case, grasses were the materials most
commonly used for nest building.
Individuals of _P. maniculatus_ did not build nests in trees. One nest
was found under a stump and adjacent log. Another site was in the
abandoned tunnel of a pocket gopher, and a third was under a large rock.
The only nest that was unquestionably built by a _P. maniculatus_ was
constructed of grasses and a few leaves.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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