Dryobates pubescens medianus, D. p. leucurus Status: Common regular resident east and central, fairly common west. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM12374, 25 Nov 1893 Lancaster Co. Taxonomy: There have been several recent changes in generic assignment of woodpeckers. Genus Dryobates includes species previously assigned to genera Dendrocopos and Picoides, including Nuttall’s, Ladder-backed, and Downy Woodpeckers of North […]
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER
Melanerpes erythrocephalus Status: Common regular spring and fall migrant east and central, fairly common west. Common regular breeder east and central, uncommon west. Uncommon regular winter visitor extreme southeast, rare casual elsewhere. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM6290, 5 Jun 1981 Gage Co. Taxonomy: No subspecies are currently recognized (Gill et al 2022). Although no subspecies are […]
WILLIAMSON’S SAPSUCKER
Sphyrapicus thyroideus Status: Rare casual spring and fall visitor east and central. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM15986, 13 May 1988 Omaha, Douglas Co. Taxonomy: Gyug et al (2023) list two weakly differentiated subspecies, thyroideus of the Pacific Coast region and nataliae of the Rocky Mountains. Spring: There are five reports, three documented: 24 Mar 1939, male […]
SHORT-EARED OWL
Asio flammeus flammeus Status: Rare regular resident north and west. Uncommon regular winter visitor statewide. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM7740, 4 Dec 1902 Kirkwood, Lancaster Co. Taxonomy: There are 11 subspecies currently recognized, only one, flammeus, occurring in North America, the other 10 subspecies are distributed worldwide except for Australia; several are island endemics (Gill et […]
LONG-EARED OWL
Asio otus wilsonianus, A. o. tuftsi Status: Fairly common regular winter visitor statewide. Uncommon regular resident north, rare south. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM12786, 9 May 1892 Waverly, Lancaster Co. Taxonomy: There are four subspecies recognized, two in Eurasia and Africa, and two in North America (Gill et al 2022), tuftsi from western Canada to northern Mexico, […]
LEWIS’S WOODPECKER
Melanerpes lewis Status: Rare casual spring migrant west and west central. Rare casual fall migrant west and central. Rare regular local breeder west. Accidental winter visitor. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM6299, 30 May 1900 Warbonnet Canyon, Sioux Co. Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022). Spring: Away from known breeding locations, there are few […]