Haliaeetus leucocephalus Status: Common, locally abundant, regular winter visitor statewide. Common regular spring and fall migrant statewide. Uncommon regular resident statewide, except southwest and southern Panhandle. Uncommon regular summer visitor statewide. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM7697, 31 Oct 1921 Hall Co. Taxonomy: Two subspecies are generally recognized (Gill et al 2022), although Pyle (2008) considered the […]
LEAST BITTERN
Botaurus exilis EXILIS Status: Uncommon regular spring migrant east and east central, rare elsewhere. Uncommon regular breeder north, west, and east. Rare regular fall migrant east. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM7658, 18 May 1901 Nebraska City, Otoe Co. Taxonomy: Chesser et al (2024) merged genus Ixobrychus with Botaurus based on genetic data showing the two genera […]
MISSISSIPPI KITE
Ictinia mississippiensis Status: Uncommon regular spring visitor statewide. Locally uncommon regular breeder south, rare casual elsewhere. Rare casual summer visitor west, south, southeast. Rare regular fall migrant statewide. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM17034, 9 Sep 1991 North Platte, Lincoln Co. Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022). Changes Since 2000: Expansion of the breeding […]
OSPREY
Pandion haliaetus carolinensis Status: Uncommon regular spring and fall migrant statewide. Fairly common regular breeder west, west central, and east. Rare regular summer visitor statewide. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM14607, Oct 1938 North Platte, Lincoln Co. Taxonomy: Most authors recognize four subspecies world-wide; two of these occur in North America: carolinensis in the United States and […]
TURKEY VULTURE
Cathartes aura Status: Common regular spring and fall migrant statewide. Fairly common regular breeder statewide. Locally common regular summer visitor statewide. Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM10880, 24 Jul 1910 Naponee, Franklin Co. Taxonomy: Of six subspecies, three occur in North America (Gill et al 2022): aura from the southwest United States to Costa Rica and the […]
ZONE-TAILED HAWK
Buteo albonotatus Status: Accidental in spring. Documentation: Description: Lake Ogallala, Keith Co, 25 Apr 2007 (Brogie 2008). Taxonomy: No subspecies recognized. Record: One was discovered by Charles Brown, Valerie O’Brien, and Sarah Knutie roosting with six Turkey Vultures at Lake Ogallala 25 Apr 2007 (Brogie 2008). It was watched both in flight with the vultures […]