Corvus corax Status: Rare casual resident and winter visitor west, west central, and north. Documentation: Video, photos: 1-4 Jan 2021 Harrison, Sioux Co (DeLara, eBird.org). Taxonomy: There are 11 subspecies recognized, three in North America; North American subspecies are principalis from northern Alaska to Newfoundland south to southwest British Columbia and Maine, in mountains to […]
[CAROLINA CHICKADEE]
Poecile carolinensis Status: No accepted records. Taxonomy: The genus Poecile, previously a sub-genus within Parus, was raised to generic status by Banks et al (1997) based on genetic studies by Gill et al (2005) and Slikas et al (1996). There are four subspecies recognized, nearest to Nebraska atricapilloides of southern Kansas to central Texas (Gill […]
BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE
Pica hudsonia Status: Uncommon regular resident west, locally uncommon southwest, rare elsewhere. Rare casual winter visitor statewide away from breeding locations. Current range Former Range (prior to 2001, Mollhoff 2001) Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM10305, 14 Jul 1910 Sioux Co. Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022). North American birds, formerly known as Pica […]
BLUE JAY
Cyanocitta cristata bromia, C. c. cyanotephra Status: Common regular resident and spring and fall migrant east and central, fairly common west. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM12259, 30 Dec 1908 Lancaster Co. Taxonomy: Four subspecies are recognized by Gill et al (2022), although Pyle (1997) merged one of these, semplei, with cristata. The four are (Pyle 1997): […]
CHIHUAHUAN RAVEN
Corvus cryptoleucus Status: Extirpated; formerly breeder southwest and south-central. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM12283, 23 Jun 1951 “Nebraska” (no specific location given). Taxonomy: No subspecies are currently recognized (Gill et al 2022). See “Comments” for discussion of identification of Chihuahuan and Common Ravens. Records: The occurrence of this species in Nebraska is enigmatic. Reports during the […]
STELLER’S JAY
Cyanocitta stelleri Annectens, C. S. MACROLOPHA Status: Uncommon casual irruptive winter visitor statewide. Documentation: annectens: specimen UNSM ZM7630, Oct 1916 Mitchell, Scotts Bluff Co. macrolopha: photograph: 30 Nov 2022 Carter Canyon, Scotts Bluff Co. Taxonomy: There are 13-17 subspecies recognized by various authors (Phillips 1986, Gill et al 2022, Pyle 1997, Walker et al 2020). However, descriptions […]