Passerella iliaca zaboria, P. i. iliaca Status: Fairly common regular spring and fall migrant east, uncommon east-central, rare casual west-central and west. Uncommon regular winter visitor southeast, rare casual elsewhere. Documentation: Specimens: iliaca?, UNSM ZM17887, 21 Oct 2000 Lincoln, Lancaster Co; zaboria? UNSM ZM18334, 7 Nov 2005 Dodge Co (see Taxonomy). Taxonomy: Some 15-24 subspecies […]
HARRIS’S SPARROW
Zonotrichia querula Status: Common spring migrant east and south, uncommon north and west. Rare casual summer visitor south and east. Common regular fall migrant east, fairly common central, uncommon west. Common regular winter visitor south and east, rare west, rare casual north. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM7459, 25 Apr 1889 Lincoln, Lancaster Co. Taxonomy: No subspecies […]
BREWER’S SPARROW
Spizella breweri breweri Status: Uncommon regular spring and fall migrant west, rare casual central and east. Fairly common regular breeder western Panhandle. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM7444, 12 Jul 1901 Indian Creek, Sioux Co. Taxonomy: There are two subspecies generally recognized (Pyle 1997, Gill et al 2022): taverneri, breeding from southeast Alaska and western Canada to […]
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW
Spizelloides arborea arborea, S. a. ochracea Status: Abundant regular spring and fall migrant and winter visitor statewide. Documentation: Specimens: ochracea, SUI 14167, 13 Nov 1884, Wood River, Hall Co, UNSM ZM7414, 18 Feb 1896 Sioux Co; arborea: UNSM ZM7421, 5 Nov 1889 Lancaster Co. Taxonomy: Two subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022): arborea, breeding […]
EASTERN TOWHEE
Pipilo erythrophthalmus erythrophthalmus Status: Common regular breeder extreme southeast, rare casual elsewhere. Common regular spring and fall migrant within and near breeding range, rare elsewhere. Rare regular winter visitor extreme southeast. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM7238, 19 Jan 1900 Saltillo, Lancaster Co. Taxonomy: Four subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022): erythrophthalmus, breeding from Manitoba to […]
SPOTTED TOWHEE
Pipilo maculatus arcticus, P. m. montanus Status: Common regular breeder west and central, rare east. Uncommon spring and fall migrant statewide. Rare regular winter visitor southeast and south, rare casual elsewhere. Breeding Figure 1. Proportion of “dark-backed” towhees (see text) by “zone” based on a review of eBird reports (Silcock, unpublished data). Distribution by […]