A cardinal at the Dry Tortugas, Florida

Bellow, Ted

A Cardinal at the Dry Tortugas, Florida.-Cardmals (Cardinalis cardinalis) are widespread in North America (Gruson 1976, Checklist of the World's birds, London, William Collins Sons and Co., p. 155) and are considered nonmigratory (Bent 1968, U.S. Natl. Mus. Bull. 237, p. 15). Howell (1932, Florida bird life, Tallahassee. Fla. Dept. Game Fresh Water Fish, p. 437) gives its southern range as extending through the Florida Keys to the Marquesas Keys but indicates that the species is rare in Key \Vest and states, ".4 Cardinal struck Sombrero Key Light, September 10, 1884-an unusual occurrence for a nonmigratory bird (Merriam 1885, p. 61)". Sprunt (1954, Florida bird life, New Tork, Coward-McCann Inc. p. 450) states, "It has since been recorded even from Tortugas: Gabrielson saw one there, ~akh 29, 1948." This is the only published record of a Cardinal at the Dry Tortugas (W. B. Robertson, Jr., pers. comm.). On 6 April 1978 at 0700, in the parade ground of Fort Jefferson, Garden Key, Dry Tortugas, Florida, I observed a female Cardinal working through the trees. The bird was also observed on the 6th and 8th by members of the tern-banding party (W. B. Robertson, Jr., et al.). The bird was not reported again and was not seen in June by the tern-banding party. I thank William B. Robertson, Jr., for his comments on this -THEODORE H. BELOW, Naples, Florida 33942.

A cardinal at the Dry Tortugas, Florida

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