Cathartes aura Status: Common regular spring and fall migrant statewide. Fairly common regular breeder statewide. Locally common regular summer visitor statewide. Accidental in winter. 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 […]
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 […]
HARRIS’S HAWK
Parabuteo unicinctus harrisi Status: Rare casual spring, fall, and winter visitor west and east. Documentation: Specimen: HMM 2895, 28 Oct 1922 Elkhorn, Douglas Co. Taxonomy: There are two subspecies, harrisi of southwest United States south to Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, and unicinctus of Colombia and Venezuela south to northern Argentina and Chile (Gill et al […]
WHITE-TAILED KITE
Elanus leucurus Status: Rare casual summer visitor south and west. Documentation: Photograph: 31 Aug-8 Oct 1983 Mormon Island Crane Meadows, Hall Co (Lingle and Lingle 1983). Taxonomy: There are two subspecies, majusculus of the southern and western United States south to Panama, and leucurus further south, to Argentina (Gill et al 2022). Nebraska birds are […]
SWALLOW-TAILED KITE
Elanoides forficatus Status: Rare casual summer visitor. Formerly regular breeder but extirpated around 1910. Documentation: Specimen: Fullerton, Nance Co, 1880, Illinois State Museum #ISM-602715; located by Wayne Mollhoff (personal communication). Taxonomy: There are two subspecies, forficatus of the southeastern United States and northeastern Mexico, and yetapa, from Mexico to northern Argentina (Gill et al 2022). […]
GLOSSY IBIS
Plegadis falcinellus Status: Uncommon regular spring migrant statewide. Rare casual breeder Rainwater Basin. Rare casual summer visitor west and southeast. Rare casual fall migrant east and central. Documentation: Photograph: 15 Apr 2005 Harvard WPA, Clay Co (Brogie 2006). Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022). This species hybridizes extensively with White-faced Ibis. For […]