Dryocopus pileatus abieticola Status: Uncommon regular breeder east. Rare casual winter and spring visitor away from east. Documentation: Photograph: 24 Jan 1991 Bellevue, Sarpy Co (Grenon 1991). Taxonomy: There are two subspecies, pileatus, resident south and east of south-central Texas, southeast Kansas, southern Illinois, and Maryland, and abieticola north and northwest of the range of […]
HAIRY WOODPECKER
Leuconotopicus villosus villosus, L. v. monticola Status: Common regular resident west, fairly common central and east. Rare regular winter visitor west. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM6321, 12 Dec 1895 Fort Robinson, Sioux Co. Taxonomy: There have been several recent changes in assignment of woodpeckers to genera. Genus Leuconotopicus includes species previously assigned to Picoides (Fuchs and […]
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER
Sphyrapicus varius Status: Uncommon regular spring migrant east and central, rare casual west. Fairly common fall migrant east, uncommon central, rare west. Rare regular winter visitor southeast, rare casual elsewhere. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM6307, 9 Oct 1921 Lancaster Co. Taxonomy: No subspecies are currently recognized (Gill et al 2022). Yellow-bellied, Red-naped (S. nuchalis), and Red-breasted […]
CRESTED CARACARA
Caracara plancus CHERIWAY Status: Accidental in summer. Documentation: Photograph: 11 Nov 2012 Genoa, Nance Co, first seen 14 Jul (Brogie 2013). Taxonomy: The caracaras of North, Central, and South America, traditionally considered a single species C. plancus with four or five subspecies, was treated as three species by Dove and Banks (1999) and Banks et […]
[IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER]
Campephilus principalis Status: No accepted records. Taxonomy: Two subspecies are recognized, principalis of the southeastern USA and bairdii of Cuba (Gill et al 2022). Most authorities consider both subspecies extinct or nearly so (AOU 1998). Comments: Bruner (1896) cited a report by G.A. Coleman that this species was rare in the vicinity of Peru. Bruner […]
BELTED KINGFISHER
Megaceryle alcyon Status: Fairly common regular breeder and spring and fall migrant statewide. Uncommon local winter visitor southern half of state, rare elsewhere. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM6277, 23 Jun 1916 Mitchell, Scotts Bluff Co. Taxonomy: No subspecies are currently recognized (Gill et al 2022). Belted Kingfisher was previously included in genus Ceryle, but recent genetic […]