Bucephala clangula x islandica Status: Accidental in winter Records: There are two records: 11 Mar 2023 Scottsbluff WTP, Scotts Bluff Co (Mlodinow, Ely; eBird.org) 13 Dec 2020 Gavin’s Point Dam, Knox Co (Strand, eBird.org) Comments: This is a commonly reported hybrid in the eastern and western US as might be expected given the locations of […]
Ross’s x Cackling Goose (hybrid)
Anser rossii x Branta hutchinsii Status: Rare casual winter visitor statewide. Records: There are 15 records: 31 Oct 2023 Gering WTP, Scotts Bluff Co (Mlodinow, eBird.org) 8 Nov 2021 Scotts Bluff Co (Mlodinow, eBird.org) 16 Nov 2020 Dundy Co (Mlodinow, eBird.org) 20 and 29 Nov 2021 (2) Lake Minatare, Scotts Bluff Co (Mlodinow, eBird.org) 30 […]
Snow x Cackling Goose (hybrid)
Anser caerulescens x Branta hutchinsii Status: Rare regular winter visitor west and west central; rare casual elsewhere. Records: There are about 45 records, 31 Oct-28 Mar, most in the Panhandle and east to Keith and Lincoln Cos (eBird.org, accessed Jan 2024). Most are associated with Cackling Geese. Reports in the east central and east are fewer: […]
Snow x Ross’s Goose (hybrid)
Anser caerulescens x ANSER rossii Status: Rare regular spring and fall migrant. Taxonomy: Hybridization occurs between Snow Goose and Ross’s Goose, estimated at 4.7% of a sample of around 12,000 Ross’s and Snow Geese in the Central Flyway examined between 1961 and 1968 (Trauger et al 1971, Baldassare 2014). This percentage will likely increase as […]
Redhead x Ring-necked Duck (hybrid)
Aythya americana x Aythya collaris Status: Accidental in spring. Taxonomy: Redhead is known to have hybridized with each of the other four North American Aythya in the wild, Canvasback, Lesser Scaup, Greater Scaup, and Ring-necked Duck (Woodin and Michot 2020). Record: A drake was documented at Flanagan Lake, Douglas Co 4-6 Apr 2020 by Sam […]
Yellow-shafted, Red-shafted and intergrade flickers in Nebraska
Joel G. Jorgensen and W. Ross Silcock | joel.jorgensen@nebraska.gov, silcock@rosssilcock.com | 28 December 2020 The Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) is a common species that has two field identifiable subspecies, the “yellow-shafted” flicker (YSFL) and the “red-shafted” flicker (RSFL). The problem and challenge for Nebraska birders is that YSFLs and RSFLs regularly interbreed and the intergradation […]