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Montana Range
Observations in Montana: 955
Montana CountiesBeaverhead, Big Horn, Blaine, Broadwater, Carbon, Carter, Cascade, Chouteau, Custer, Daniels, Dawson, Deer Lodge, Fallon, Fergus, Flathead, Gallatin, Garfield, Glacier, Golden Valley, Granite, Hill, Judith Basin, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Liberty, Lincoln, Madison, McCone, Meagher, Missoula, Musselshell, Park, Petroleum, Phillips, Pondera, Powder River, Powell, Prairie, Ravalli, Richland, Roosevelt, Rosebud, Sanders, Sheridan, Silver Bow, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Teton, Toole, Treasure, Valley, Wheatland, Yellowstone
In Bozeman the spring peak in numbers was reached on May 1; the fall peak October 10 or early September (statewide). April 4 to May 25 and September 5 to November 5 is the normal migration period.
Comments on habitat can be found in Holm 1984. In the Bozeman area, summer birds prefer the marshy borders of lakes and ponds; migrants are more widely distributed (Skaar 1969).
At Freezeout Lake, birds nesting in grasslands are more successful (16.6%) than in all other habitat types (average of all types is 9.1%). The major cause of unsuccessful nests is skunk predation.
Brood size averages 7.3 in rest-rotation grazing pastures in north-central Montana. Breeding has been recorded from mid-April to July 25. Young were observed in the Bozeman area on June 25. At Freezeout Lake hatching occurs from May 21 to July 20 (average 9.1% success rate). The average clutch size is 9.5. Hatching dates are from May 10 to July 31.