Cygnus olor Status: Rare casual winter visitor east. Documentation: Photograph: 7 Nov 2015 Dakota Co (Brogie 2016). Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022). There are two color morphs of downy Mute Swan, gray (“Royal”) and white (“Polish”, or leucistic); the differences persist in plumage and in bare parts color through the juvenile […]
CACKLING GOOSE
Branta hutchinsii hutchinsii, B. H. MINIMA, B. H. TAVERNERI Status: Common, locally abundant, regular spring and fall migrant statewide. Fairly common regular winter visitor west and central, uncommon east. Rare regular summer visitor central and east, rare casual west. Documentation: hutchinsii: specimen, SUI 06721, 8 Nov 1884, Elm Creek, Buffalo Co; minima: photograph, Mlodinow eBird […]
CANADA GOOSE
Branta canadensis interior, B. c. parvipes, B. c. maxima, and B. c. moffitti Status: Abundant regular spring and fall migrant statewide. Common regular resident statewide. Locally abundant regular winter visitor statewide. Documentation: parvipes: specimen FMNH 400971, 30 miles south of Wood Lake, Cherry Co; maxima: specimen UNSM ZM16581,11 Mar 1989 Buffalo Co (culmen 58.9). See […]
[BARNACLE GOOSE]
Anser leucopsis Status: No accepted records. Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022). A mounted specimen shot from a flock of about 40 “Hutch” Canada Geese (now known as Cackling Goose, Branta hutchinsii) 2 Nov 1968 in Otoe Co (Cortelyou 1969) was assumed for many years to be an escaped Barnacle Goose, but […]
[BAR-HEADED GOOSE]
Anser indicus Status: No accepted records. Taxonomy: No subspecies recognized (Gill et al 2022). Comments: A pair was seen with Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) Feb 1985 in Keith Co, presumed escapees (Cortelyou 1985), and one was in Cedar Co 12-24 Feb 2003. These birds were certainly escapees or released; there is no pattern of vagrancy […]
GADWALL
Mareca strepera STREPERA Status: Common, locally abundant, regular spring and fall migrant statewide. Common regular breeder north-central Nebraska and northern Panhandle, uncommon south-central, rare casual elsewhere. Uncommon regular winter visitor Platte, North Platte, South Platte, and lower Missouri River valley counties southward and Cedar and Knox Cos in the northeast, rare casual elsewhere. Documentation: Specimen: […]