Melozone aberti Status: No accepted records. Taxonomy: Two subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022): dumeticolus, resident from Utah to southeast California and southwest Arizona, and aberti, resident from southern Arizona to southwest New Mexico. Comments: A description of one reported 29 Sep 1980 at Tryon (Bassett 1980; Cortelyou 1981) was not considered diagnostic (Bray […]
CANYON TOWHEE
Melozone fusca Status: Accidental in fall. Documentation: Description: 18 Sep 1975 Gering, Scotts Bluff Co (Brashear 1976). Taxonomy: The “brown towhees” were assigned to a separate genus, Melozone, in 2010 (Chesser et al 2010) based on genetic studies by DaCosta et al (2009). The former Brown Towhee (Pipilo fusca) was split (Monroe et al 1989) […]
BAIRD’S SPARROW
Centronyx bairdii Status: Rare casual spring and fall migrant statewide. Accidental breeder Sioux Co. Documentation: Specimen: HMM 14237, 19 May 1935 Juniata, Adams Co (Brooking 1935). Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022). This species and Henslow’s Sparrow were assigned to genus Centronyx from Ammodramus, based on genetic studies that indicated former Ammodramus […]
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW
Zonotrichia atricapilla Status: Rare casual spring and fall migrant and winter visitor statewide. Documentation: Photograph: 25-26 Nov 1984 Alliance, Box Butte Co (Thomas 1984; Mollhoff 1989). Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022). Golden-crowned Sparrow hybridizes occasionally with other Zonotrichia species, White-crowned, and White-throated Sparrows, although none are recorded for Nebraska. Nearest are […]
SAGEBRUSH SPARROW
Artemisiospiza nevadensis Status: Accidental in fall. Documentation: Description: 6 Aug 1989 Sowbelly Canyon, Sioux Co (Stage and Stage 1990). Taxonomy: Former Sage Sparrow (Amphispiza belli) consisted of two subspecies groups, coastal belli with subspecies belli and clementeae, and interior nevadensis with subspecies canescens, campicola, and nevadensis (Pyle 1997). However genetic studies by Cicero & Johnson […]
BLACK-THROATED SPARROW
Amphispiza bilineata bilineata Status: Rare casual summer visitor. Rare casual winter visitor east. Documentation: Photograph: 17 Dec 1973 Omaha, Douglas Co (Meier 1974; Williams 1974). Taxonomy: There are nine subspecies recognized, six in Mexico, and three in the US (Gill et al 2022): deserticola, breeding and wintering from California to southwest Wyoming and southwest New […]